As you are probably aware if you have been following my posts, I was bitten by two large dogs three weeks ago. I am slowly getting better, but I still have to wear something to stop me licking my wounds.

Well my new comfy collar arrived today, and I must say it's much better than the lampshade thingy I was wearing previously.

Life According to Gizmo (It's a Dog's Life):

( Printed in Island connections....)

Hola mis amigos, and welcome to my column. This will probably be the last one for a while as I've got a lot on my plate at the moment (and I don't mean my dog bowl). As the spokes-mutt for Nikki's website: Tenerifedogs.com, I certainly earn my dog biscuits !

The other reason for giving my column a bit of a rest is that I don't want to bore y'all by repeating myself. I've written plenty about the things that matter to us woofers (dogs off leads, what you should think about before getting a dog, my "Out-of-Botty" experience at the vet,  problems for the older pooch etc), but if there are any more doggie issues you'd like me to discuss (or you just miss me :-) then send me an e-mail and persuade me to change my mind !

April 13th was a very important day for us pooches in the Canary Islands. It was the first time that a case of animal abuse was prosecuted in court (what took them so long eh ?). Hopefully this landmark case should set a precedent, and be the start of justice for animals who are victims of human cruelty here.

Addanca Candaleria, an animal welfare organisation brought the case to court, and are looking after the unfortunate dog: 'Vela' who had been beaten, nearly starved to death, and has scars from abrasive liquid poured over her. The alleged perpetrator of this abuse is an eighty-year-old man who denies the charges. Updates about this case can be found on Addanca Candaleria's Facebook page.

On the subject of animal abuse, hoarding animals can also be a form of cruelty. A hoarder is someone who collects far too many domestic pets (usually cats and dogs) without the ability or resources to care for them properly. The hoarder may not actually be beating the animals, but not looking after their basic needs (feeding them, keeping them in hygienic conditions) is still, in the end, a form of abuse, as the animals are certainly suffering. Often the person has a mental health problem and doesn't understand that what he or she is doing is wrong ! Whether or not the hoarder has psychological problems, or is just negligent, it doesn't really make much difference to the poor innocent cats or dogs who often suffer terribly.

Anyway, moving on ... I'd like to tell y'all about a rather strange e-mail that I recently received from an African chap called Nadu Totow Savimbi. It's a very sad tale of how despite inheriting a lot of money, he's been unable to access his bank account, due to the overthrow of the goverment in his country. Nadu explains that he has 20 wives, 78 children, and 10 grandmothers to support, and that he desperately needs my bank account details, passport etc so that he'll then be able to transfer his late father's 37 million dollar estate into my account. Of course he'll bung me a few million just for letting him use my account and helping him with his extended family.

Woof-bloody-tastic, no ? Sorry, but does Nadu really think I was born yesterday ? and doesn't he understand I'm a dog and unlikely to need a bank account ? Honestly, I've said it before and I'll say it again - some humans must have fur for brains !

I mean, why don't I ever get an e-mail from someone who says they're going to transfer two tons of dog biscuits to my bowl, just so that their dog can access it, as his own has been frozen. Now that would be talking my language, but realistically I suppose it's unlikely to happen ... a dog can dream though !

So, there you go. As I mentioned, I'll be taking some time off from writing my column before it all goes stale (which reminds me - must go and dig up that bone that I buried last month - should be nice and wiffy by now). But I won't be stopping this writing malarky. Far from it, I've got a taste for it now and so I've decided to write a book.

It's going to be a wooftastic 'tail' about a loveable ex-pat pooch living in Tenerife (funnily enough). He writes, from a dog's point of view of course, about settling down in a new country, how he copes with the cultural differences and learning the language (although woof-speak is universal, mas o menos, there are still some differences which need to be understood, otherwise a dog can have muchos problemas with his furry Latin amigos).

So the book will be a kind of doggie version of '"Walking over Lemons" ("Bouncing over Bones" ?) or perhaps "More Saliva than Salsa" ? It will have some wonderful illustrations by my amiga Annie Chapman and is all set to be a wooftastic best seller (that's if I can find time to finish it in between my naps ... phew, it's a dog's life and all that).

I hope you've enjoyed reading my columns (ps they can all be downloaded via the Island Connections website). Join me on Snr Giz Facebook page, keep checking  out Tenerifedogs.com. and send me an e-mail me on gizmo@tenerifedogs.com if there's anything else that you'd like me to write about. Until then, it's hasta luego y 'chow-for-now' mis furry amigos.

Printed in Island Connections -

Me lounging on the sofa with a amiga !

Me lounging on the sofa with my amiga Katy xx

My Furry Amigos

The other day I was thinking about the first night that I spent at the dog refuge, and wondering what's happened to my furry amigos that shared the cage with me.

I must admit, that first night I didn't get too much sleep. Well none of us did really. There was Gonzales - a manic Jack Russell (we called him "Speedy G") and Luna  the bulldog. Speedy G kept bouncing around all night like he thought he was some kind of manic rubber ball. He bounced off the walls, me, Luna, everything really ! and in between bounces, he insisted on telling me his life story - in great detail.

Then when Speedy G's battery finally ran down and he decided to go to sleep, Luna started snoring for Tenerife. Crikey, what a racket ! The planes flying low over the refuge were nothing compared to Luna's snoring. Maybe that's why she found herself on the streets - perhaps she drove her owners completely mad with sleep deprivation.

The next morning the nice people at the refuge gave me some breakfast. Wooftastic ! What a treat after having to ferret around for food on the streets - it almost made up for the lack of sleep. Then one of the volunteers took me for a walk. Aha, now things were really looking up ... that's until I got back to the cage to find yet another woofer had appeared. So now there were four of us in there, and it was getting a little bit cramped. "Not much chance of moving pad and getting some kip now, they must be full" I thought. Oh well, sigh ... not wanting to start off on the wrong paw with the new arrival, I greeted him with a welcoming sniff.

The new mutt was Elvis - some sort of a terrier / spaniel mix, and he seemed friendly enough, until he started making this weird noise - a bit like a pig trying to sing karaoke while being strangled. I thought: "hang on mate, I know it's quite a privilege to meet a pooch of my caliber, but calm down please !" Unfortunately there was no stopping him - the pig karaoke squealing continued on and off for the rest of that day and night.

So there I was stuck in a cage with a woofer who thought he was a rubber ball, and bored the fur off me with his cat chasing stories; a mutt who snored louder than a Boeing 707; and now a pooch who thought he was auditioning for the doggie version of X Factor ... Woof-Bloody-Tastic !

Anyhow, we had to get some sleep eventually, so we all curled up together and I discovered that despite Luna's snoring and general ugly bulldog-ness, she was actually quite cute (wink wink). Us dogs are very sociable really, and most of the time we get on OK despite all our annoying little habits. Since then I've met a few of these mutts out-and-about and we've become furry amigos (more about them in another episode).

After I Ieft the refuge and became the spokesmutt for Nikki's website: TenerifeDogs.com, I was asked to be the poster pooch for Accion-del-Sol's educational program (after all, I am exceptionally cute as you can see). This involves visiting local schools and helping the children look after their pets properly. So let me share with you some of the main things that we tell the kids about being a responsible dog owner:

• Always make sure your pooch has access to fresh water and give him a balanced diet.

• Have your dog neutered and micro-chiped. Of course if he comes from a rescue centre this should already have been done.

• Don't leave your pooch alone all day if you can avoid it - otherwise he'll probably annoy the neighbours woofing and generally be naughty.

• Treat your dog kindly - no hitting !

• Take your woofer for at least two walks a day, and try and spend some time playing with him every day.

• Take your dog to the vet for his annual check-up and vaccinations. Heartworm is a very serious illness for dogs in Tenerife, so make sure you either get the yearly injections or monthly tablets to prevent it.

• Regularly wash and groom your pooch, and check his teeth, ears, and nails to spot any problems before they become serious.

• Keep your dog on a lead near traffic - you don't want him to get run over or cause an accident. A dog off the lead near a road is an accident waiting to happen !

• Carry some plastic doggy bags so that you can clean up after he does his 'business'.

• If you go away on holiday make sure you know someone reliable to take care of your pooch, or take him to a professional dog hotel.


So it's hasta luego, y 'chow-for-now' mis furry amigos.

ps if you would like to keep in touch with me, check out my Facebook page Snr Giz and if there are any doggie issues you would like me to discuss in my column, please e-mail gizmo@tenerifedogs.com

Published in Island Connections copyright Nikki Attree please check out my book www.nobodyspoodle.com

Me and my amigo Pinto playing :)

 Dominique, Pinto's mum is giving us a biccie :)

 Pinto posing for the camera

An Out-of-Botty Experience

I had an embarrassing problem this week: however much I ate, and however hard I pushed, nothing was coming out of my backside ! (sorry if this is too much information). Fortunately Nikki, my owner, eventually got wind of my discomfort (ha ha), checked my rear end, and horror-of-horrors found something sticking out that wasn't suppose too be there. So off to the vet we went.

When we arrived at the surgery and sat down in the waiting room there were a couple of worried-looking cat-dudes in cages (let me at 'em !) and a maniacally yapping poodle jumping up and down on her owner's knee. I soon realised why they were so worked-up as I turned my head and made eye contact with a massive, slobbering Rottweiller (aka "Rambo"), who was sizing me up ready for his next meal !

His owner said that Rambo "was a pussycat really". Yeah right, we all believe that ... NOT !  The cats in the cages were praying to The Great-Moggie-in-the-Sky that they wouldn't be Rambo's next snack, and the poodle was now clinging for dear life to her owner's neck. As If it wasn't enough that Rambo was scaring the fur off us, he started shaking his head,  making his jowls wobble quite disgustingly, and we all had to duck to avoid his projectile slobber - hmmm, nice ! Luckily it was soon my turn too see Miquel (the vet) and escape from Rambo's warm embraces and bad breath.

Miquel lifted me up onto the table and Nikki explained that I had problems doing my poo-poos. Miquel started by looking into my mouth and eyes, but Nikki said: "no no, it's Gizmo's rear end that's the problem !". Maybe he was just trying to delay the inevitable pleasure of inspecting my cute butt, and I suppose I couldn't really blame him.

Anyhow, there was indeed something stuck up there causing a blockage. Quite a few things actually: bits of twig, string, slippers, gardening implements ... you name it, it was all up there. God knows how - I don't remember eating half of that stuff.

With a resigned look and practised dexterity, Miguel managed to clear the blockage. Wow, what a wooftastic relief ! but it was only short-lived: a thermometer was rapidly inserted back up where the sun don't shine (as if I hadn't suffered enough humiliation !). Miquel was concerned that I might have torn something inside and have an infection, so he needed to take my temperature. Happily it was normal, and I got a biscuit, a pat on the head, and that was that (at least until I find some more tasty looking sharp objects to chomp on).

So, my doggie amigos, the moral of this story is: don't eat stuff you're not suppose to - otherwise it might involve an uncomfortable and potentially embarrassing visit to the vet. As the saying goes: "sheet happens" ... and if it doesn't then something's wrong, visit the vet and have an Out-of-Botty experience like mine.

On the subject of visiting the vet: some doggies find it quite stressful, what with all the strange sights, smells and sounds; all the unfamiliar humans and animals; not to mention oversized mean looking Rotweillers with macho studded collars and owners covered in tattoos. So here are a few tips to help keep your pooch calm:

• Make sure your pooch has had a chance to go for a pee / poo before you go the vet (that's if they're able to of course !)
• Take some of his favourite treats with you to reward him for good behaviour while in the surgery.
• Keep your dog calm and by your side, even if he wants to say "Hola" to the other patients in the waiting room.
• Give him lots of physical attention: ie cuddles, and talk to him softly as this will help keep him relaxed.

Copyright Nikki Attree - Published in Island Connections

Dog Refuge Events..!

Accion-Del- Sol - Saturday 28th January - Puppies and Pony Club fun and educational morning where children learn how to care, feed, groom and learn basic veterinary care.Tel 922 778 630 facebook page

 K9 Tenerife -  Saturday 28th January.  The Welcome Inn at Costa del Silencio have agreed to host a fundraiser for K9. facebook page

K9 Tenerife -  Monday 13th February   St Valentine Fundraiser at Monaco restaurant Peurto Colon, Las Americas. Raffle, Bottle Tombola, Book & Craft Stalls. Info from Sue on 922 710 675 facebook page

K9 Tenerife - Saturday 31st March     This is a “Thank You” event for all the volunteers and supporters of FOTA/K9 over the past year. It is being held at The Heritage Bar in Los Cristianos (behind the bus station) and commences at 3pm. Free refreshments will be provided and the entertainment promises to be First Class. There will be a Fun Quiz & Raffle.
Invitations will be coming out in January but anyone who has supported us in the past will be very welcome. RSVP is required because of the food preparation. facebook page

My second class at Star Agility

I went to Star-South Tenerife Agility Ring yesterday had another fab afternoon with my furry amigos and the nice agility teacher Clare, with the help of her assistant Glenn showed us how to use some more of the equipment - It was great fun for the doggies and the humans. There was this rather horizontally challenged chap though waiting ouside the ring - don't think he has much hope of being able to join in though..!

 

Dominique Doring (Dog Trainer) and Sam doing his stuff

 Mi furry amigo Sam again

 The lovely Mercedes doing her stuff

   This horizontally challenged chap was hanging outside the agility ring I think he over did it with the biscuits ..!

The wind is blowing in my fur

Here's a photo of me today, watching the windsurfing and kitesurfing in El Medano. It wasn't easy as the wind kept blowing fur in my eyes.

My First Agility Class

I went to my first agility class yesterday with my mate Sammy and Nikki's pal Dominique Doring (Dog Trainer). The Agility class is held next to a banana plantation in the San Eugenio area, see here for directions click.  In the first class, Clare our agility teacher demonstrated to us about how to use some of the equipment and we all had turns using it. There were 6 of us attending the class , that's the maximum of doggies they can teach in one go, as it  then gives everybody a chance to have individual attention.

I thought I did very well and Clare the agility teacher was impressed. All of the doggies though did very well . It helps that Clare is such a kind and patience teacher . Shelly and her partner also agility trainers were there to give a helping hand and they are also very nice humans :)

Mi furry amiga the lovely Mercedes, started first with jumping over a pole followed by me and the other doggies . Our owners brought plenty of treats with them so we had incentive to jump over the poles. We were all quite exhausted including our owners when we finished, but it was great fun and a fantastic way to bond with your pooch. I can highly recommend agility training and Star Agility who are very professional and kind people. You can find out more by clicking here

Me jumping over pole ( impressive yeh !) also in photo Clare in purple shirt, and Nikki

 

My mate Sammy checking out the tunnel and Dominique Doring and Clare.

The lovely Mercedes leaping through the ring.

Me in foreground checking out Bertie's technique.

How I was rescued from the mean streets of Granadillia

Today I'm going to tell you the story of how I was rescued from the mean streets of Granadillia, adopted by Nikki and Richard, and got my job with Tenerife dogs.com.

About a year ago I was abandoned by my previous owners. Goodness knows why: maybe I grew too big, or perhaps my owners couldn't afford to keep me anymore ? Maybe I was woofing too much, or chewed up one too many pairs of their slippers ? ... who knows ?

It was very sad and lonely living on the streets, really difficult to find water or something to eat, and people kept shouting at me to go away !

Then one day I got lucky. The Proteccion Civil picked me up and took me to the dog refuge: Accion del Sol. The kind humans there gave me some water and something to eat. Their vet checked me to see if I had any injuries, and tested me for heart-worm which can be a very nasty illness for us pooches. I was de-flead (phew thank goodness, those pesky fleas were a real pain!), and I went to say hello to the other inmates in the cages there. One day I'll tell you all about some of the wonderful woofers that I met there, but for now let's get on with my story ...

Because I didn’t have a micro-chip or a collar, Accion del Sol couldn’t find my owner, so I had to wait with the other dogs until someone wanted to give me a home. Then I had another bit of luck. After only three days, the nice lady director of Accion del Sol: Marion found me a potential home with a local couple who's little Yorkie (Basil) had just died. When I first met my new family I was a liitle shy and timid, but then we went for a walk, and I got more confident and started to cheer up a bit. They decided that they'd try looking after me for a few days to see how I'd get on with them.

Before I could go to my new home though, I had to be castrated and micro-chipped. There are already far too many abandoned dogs without me adding to the problem with more puppies. Also it means that I'll probably live a bit longer, and be a happier pooch - so it's not as bad as it sounds ! Having a micro-chip means that if I get lost, the police or a rescue shelter can locate my owners.

The next day Nikki and Richard came to collect me, which was very exciting ! Marion gave me a farewell cuddle, and then I got in their car to go to my new home. When we go there, I started exploring straight away, and it wasn't long before I'd sniffed out some interesting smells, discovered the dog biscuits, and I felt quite at home straight away. Within about half-an-hour my foster family realised how cute I was (lucky I was on my best behaviour), and decided that they were going to keep me permanently !

Now I get lots of lovely walks; I've got my own bed; plenty of fun toys; bones to chew; and loads of cuddles. So I definitely have landed on my paws all right ! :-)

It wasn’t long before I was assigned the important role of SpokesMutt for TenerifeDogs.com, following in the paw steps of the late, great Basil, who was the first ambassador for TenerifeDogs . Nikki set up this website to support all the kind humans who help poor abandoned pooches like myself find a new home, and being a rescue dog myself I know only too well about the plight of abandoned dogs in Tenerife. By the way, do check out the advice, information, and list of rescue shelters on www.TenerifeDogs.com if you're thinking about adopting a pooch.

I was very lucky to find a home quickly and land on my paws, but there are plenty of my mates still waiting for someone to give them a home. So, if you're  thinking of making a pooch part of your family, a rescue dog would love to meet you ! If you do give them a home, there'll be one less pooch on the streets struggling to find food and shelter, and one less dog living in a cage in a rescue shelter.

This article has been printed in Island Connections - Copyright Nikki Attree
Check out gizmo's book www.nobodyspoodle.com

New Agility Courses in the South - Open Day 8th of January

After the mammoth Christmas eating session, why not do some fun excercise with your doggie and here is just the thing..........

New agility courses have started up in La Caldera Del Rey, San Eugenio. To check it out go to their first public open day on  January 8th from 3'0'clock , or ring this number 649556620 to reserve your place on the next training course.

The courses are run by Shelly Stevens, Claire McIntrye Cook and Glenn Story . Who between them have many years of experience, to find out more go to their website www.southtenerifeagilityring.com

The directions to the agility course - Come off the TF1 at exit 29 then take 3rd exit at the roundabout (straight ahead for Aqualand). After about 60 metres turn right on to Avenida Europa. This road has a few curves but always uphill. Soon you will see a wall on the right, the top half white with large yellow rectangles. Take next right after this wall. This will bring you to the top road where on the other side you can see all the banana plantations. Continue in the same direction, at the end of this road are concrete barriers but there you will see a small road on the left leading down to the farm.

I think I will check it out, sounds fun..!

Regular column in Island Connections

The nice people at Island Connections have asked me to write a regular column to give the pooch perspective on things. It's a real honour to be the first dog to write for them (or any other newspaper ?), so I'll be trying my best to get my paw on the pulse of everything funky in the canine world.
read the bi-weekly issue here and go to page 44

Larry a poodle type doggie needs a home..!

Introducing Larry a poodle type dog, he looks a bit like me !. Larry is very friendly likes people and other dogs.

If you are interested in adopting Larry please contact Hazel at the K9 Kennels on 667 638 468 www.k9tenerife.eu

Jumping Jack Jive..!

Here are some photos of me doing my favorite thing jumping for sand..

A Man's Best Friend ..

I was sent this by email from a friend I thought it was a good tale,:)

A  man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery,  when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered  dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years.

He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall. It looked like  fine marble..it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it, he saw a  magnificent gate and the  street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.

He and the dog walked toward the gate and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk. 

When he was close  enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?'
'This is Heaven,  sir,' the man answered.
'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?'  the man asked.
'Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.'

The man gestured, and the gate began to  open.'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveller asked.

'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept  pets.'

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the  road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.

After  another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt  road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed.  As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning  against a tree and reading a book.

'Excuse me!' he called  to the man. 'Do you have any water?'
'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over  there, come on in.'
'How about my friend here?' the traveller gestured  to the dog.
'There should be a bowl by the pump,'  said the man.

They went  through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with  a bowl beside it. The traveller filled the water bowl and took a long drink  himself, then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog  walked back toward the man.

'What do you  call this place?' the traveller asked.
'This is Heaven,' he  answered.
'Well, that's confusing,' the traveller said.
'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.'
'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates?  Nope. That's hell.'
'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?'
'No we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.

A trip to the vet, 'what a pain in the ass'...

I have been having problems today with going to the toilet , nothing was coming out !. So Nikki checked the back end this afternoon and saw something sticking out that she reckoned wasn't suppose too be there. So off to Animal Sur we went. 

Nikki explained to the Vet that I had problems doing my number two's. The vet then looked into my mouth and eyes . Nikki then said " no, no it's the back end of the dog that is the problem" . I think the Vet was trying to put off the inevitable off looking at my rear end, and really I can't blame him.

Anyhow , indeed their was something stuck, quite a few things actually , bit of twig, string,wool etc. The vet managed to clear the blockage, what a nice man..!

So the moral of the story doggies, don't eat stuff you are not suppose too otherwise it will involve a rather embarrassing and uncomfortable visit to the vet . 

A Wooftastic Christmas Accion-Del-Sol Competition

A Wooftastic Christmas competition for the doggies at Accion-Del-Sol.
Can you write a funny caption to accompany this photo of me ?. The winner will be announced the week leading up to Christmas, the prize will be a hamper full of goodies just 'pawfect' for Christmas.

Please write your captions in the comments section below and email to Karen ranchograndetenerife@gmail.com.
Accion-del-Sol refuge is situated at Poligono De Industrial Estate, Granadilla, Exit 51 on the TF1, directly next to ITER the  Parque Eolica where the windmills are. The refuge is open monday - friday 3-6pm visit or call Accion Del Sol on 922778630.

' Handbag Dogs'

( Me trying to get into a handbag fortunately for me only my front paws will fit, thank goodness !)

This definately makes me barking mad , 'Handbag dogs' or 'Purse dogs'. I mean what is all that about !. Stuffing a poor defenceless pooch into a bag. A dog is a dog irrelevant of whether the doggie is small in size or not.  Very small dogs like Chihuahuas which are popular hand bag dogs, need walks  and be socialised with other dogs just as much as large hounds , otherwise they get bored then can turn nasty. Not surprising really I would turn nasty if I was expected to sit still in a hand bag all day, fortunately for me though I can't fit into a handbag ( as illustrated in photo ).

So anybody out there if you are thinking of getting a Chihuahua or any very small doggie  please don't keep him in a hand bag its down right cruel. Every dog deserves to be treated like a dog not a fashion accessory.!

Me having a run...!

Me having a run this morning..