Author: 2013sophie

Our face-lickin’, tail-waggin’, happy-hoppin’ Phoenix celebrated her one-year ampuversary three weeks ago! Around that time, coincidentally, we took Phoenix to the vet’s office for a check-up on an ear-gunk problem (that was quickly solved). While in the exam room, the vet remarked on Phoenix’s leg and overall strength, her great health and exuberance, suggesting she might be younger than the six-year-old guess told to us when we adopted Phoenix 10 months ago. Of significance is the vet commending us for keeping Phoenix’s weight stabilized (it’s a pound less than when we adopted her) because added weight, obviously, makes it harder on a 3-cylinder dawg. Phoenix enjoys her food and her snax, but as much as we tripawd lovers/owners may want to spoil our canines with food, it’s imperative to keep them happy while watching their weight.

It doesn’t get red-hot here on California’s far north coast, but even a stretch of sunny days in the 60’s feels warm. So I’ve observed there are times when Phoenix–who recently celebrated 10 months as a tripawd–is smart enough to lie down & rest during her hopping (“running”) fast at Eureka’s Dog Park or on walks around the neighborhood. She’s a strong dog, needs exercise, but with just a three-cylinder engine, Phoenix knows she needs to take breaks. At the Dog Park, she just takes a quick breather then pops up, drinks some water, and resumes socializing. We stay 30-40 minutes or until Phoenix gives me that look (“Get my beagle sister, I’m ready to go home.”) Of course, once we get home, Phoenix has at least two good options to relax: her dog bed or her favorite corner of the couch.

The French call it “joie de vivre”–a cheerful enjoyment of life. That’s the phrase I think of when I observe our tripawd pitbull Phoenix. It’s been over 7 months since her front right leg was amputated, and 4 months since she moved into our home. Every day, from the time she wakes up, Phoenix is a tail-wagging happy girl. Whether it’s going for a leashed walk, running free at Eureka’s new dog park or on the beach, playing with her older beagle sister, lying by the front window watching things on our block, or jumping onto the couch to lick our faces and be with us while we read, watch TV or talk with friends, Phoenix exudes delight. There’s much she’s teaching me.

Yesterday, Sunday Feb. 15th, two tripawds–Buddy & Phoenix–met for the first time in Humboldt County, Calif. Buddy, a 7-yr.-old male lab who was adopted two years ago, lives with another dog, four cats and their three people in Arcata. Phoenix, a 6-yr.-old female pitbull who was adopted two months ago, lives with Chloe (her adopted beagle sister) and their two people in Eureka. The three dogs met at Samoa Beach on the peninsula near Eureka on a glorious sunny and warm (70 degrees) day. The 3 dogs sniffed (of course), hit it off & chased each other & enjoyed the beach for almost two hours. Buddy–who likes to fetch sticks in a nearby river–dipped his three legs in the low tide near the shoreline, while Phoenix rolled in the sand several times to scratch her back. Chloe, due to her beagle nose & status, acted as the group’s ambassador/scout, greeting other people to see if they had any snacks. Because the weather was so great, and it was the President’s Day weekend, there were more dogs with their people (e.g., kids building sandcastles, folks collecting rocks/shells) than usual, but there was still plenty of wide-open space and room to roam. Later, Buddy, Phoenix & Chloe had their own version of a “tailgate party,” sharing space, bowls of water and dog biscuits in the shaded canopy of an owner’s pickup. I predict these three dogs will get together again.

My only regret today was forgetting to bring my camera. Judi & I took Phoenix (our 6-yr-old tripawd pitbull) and Chloe (our almost-12-yr-old beagle) to nearby Samoa Beach. Because Phoenix’s history is unknown before her arrival in Humboldt Co. last September, we don’t know if she’s ever been to a beach. But we do know it was her first time at a beach as a tripawd.

And man, did she love it.

As soon as we unhooked them from their leashes, Chloe (a beach veteran) sprinted away as if to say, “Phoenix, you get to run free here!” Phoenix raced off after her friend, and it warmed my heart to see our tripawd running so fast and so well. They turned around, came back to us, and then took off again.  Phoenix kept wagging her tail, did mutliple short runs on the hard-pack sand (it was low tide), but often stayed close by us. Occasionally she stopped to drop & roll on the soft sand (not on anything gross, thank God). The only others the dogs encountered on the almost-deserted beach were two solitary beach walkers and a young man throwing a rubber ball to his large rottweiler.

The weather was cool and sunny, and we never felt the 5.7 earthquake others felt in town.

Phoenix and Chloe were glad to walk back to the truck, so they could drink water from their bowl and eat some biscuits. Then it was home for their nap.

All things considered,  a very successful first venture for our tripawd on a North Coast beach.

Do you share your life with a tripawd and are living in (or will be traveling through) Humboldt County on California’s beautiful North Coast? If so, check our the Humboldt County forum I just started. I’d like our dawgs to have the chance to meet.

Don’t know if I was successful in launching my first post. Will someone please offer a brief comment. Thanks.

On Dec. 20, 2014, my wife & I adopted a tripawd named Phoenix. She is a 6-year-old (our vets think) female pitbull. Phoenix was hit by three different cars on a freeway near San Francisco around Labor Day, 2014. Rather than have a local animal hospital euthanize her, two good Samaritans transported Phoenix north about about 275 miles to a no-kill animal shelter (Miranda’s Rescue) in rural Humboldt County on California’s North Coast. Phoenix was in bad shape back then and needed to have her front right leg amputated. Nothing was known about her background, and she stayed at Miranda’s for three months before we met her and subsequently adopted her. Phoenix is a 44-pound sweetheart. As I type this, she’s sharing her big bed with her buddy–our 11 1/2 year-old adopted beagle. Phoenix loves to go on walks down by the waterfront, is very well-behaved, a watchdog without being aggressive, and is a happy tail-wagger & face-licker.