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Snippets from the very first Wrinklers
Bob Tendler's "Uno" - Makila's First Nighter - drawing done from life in 1973.
February 1998, Volume II, Issue 1
Aftermath
for Bandit by Sally Ann Smith
I wanted to creat a deathless rhyme.
Wisdom of the ages
Revealed by barkless sages.
But all I can say is-
There aren't enough bowls on
the counter at feeding time.
And my heart hurts.
The Ethical Watch Dog, aka Andrea Stone:
Responsibilities of a Breeder
The word 'irresponsible' would better describe what I think is a 'bad breeder'. I hope I don't get myself into trouble, but here I go anyway with my big mouth....
A person who breeds dogs without educating themselves about health concerns &/or researching the pedigrees of the potential dam and sire is not "good". They might assume that since their dog *looks* healthy, it couldn't possibly pass on any diseases... With such a small gene pool we are all, to one degree or another, taking a calculated risk for one ailment or another every time we breed. A 'good' breeder will test their stock for any breed problems for which a test exists. The key is to know what the risk is, and to decide whether or not it's worth it, and when it's not making the right choice. Opinions differ here, but making an informed decision is of utmost importance, IMHO. Making sure your puppy people are informed is also vital.
A person who will not take responsibility for the dogs they bring into the world is not someone I'd consider "good". If you are the impetus for dogs being born to this life, you must accept full responsibility to see them through it. A 'good' breeder (IMO) will take back a dog at anytime during its life, if the owner cannot keep it, for any reason.
A 'good' breeder will not put down a dog simply because it has lost its usefulness to them - i.e. can't be bred or shown anymore.
A 'good' breeder will assist their puppy people with any problems, and answer their questions, day or night.
A 'good' breeder produces the happiest, soundest, healthiest, mostconfimationally correct dogs they can. They love their breed, and want to produce dogs that will benefit the breed, not their pocket book. They also don't breed to show the kids the miracle of birth, or just to have fun with puppies. Sure, having fun with puppies is a perk, but not the reason to breed. This is just my opinion, and contrary views are welcome!
ALL IN A DAY’S WORK
by Lisa Osenni
I’m a receptionist at an animal hospital, and I deal with many clients who are eccentric when it comes to their pets. Most of the time, clients exhibit erratic behavior while their pet is alive. I can recall one instance where this was not the case...
One quiet afternoon a woman I did not recognize came into the office and approached the desk. “I’d like to know if I can bring my dog here,” she informed me. Disheveled, and wearing glasses with one of the eyeglass arms missing, she looked a little more than eccentric. “Sure you can,” I replied, as I took out a new file card for her.
“What kind of dog do you have?”
“A poodle,” said she.
“Do you need to have him vaccinated, or is he sick?” I inquired.
“Well,” she began, “Sammy isn’t sick. He’s dead. He’s stuffed, but now I’m afraid of him.
“You’re afraid of him?!” I burst out in gales of laughter.
The woman watched me as if I was the peculiar one. When I composed myself, she continued :“Both me and my daughter are afraid of Sammy now. I keep him in a closet. I paid over $600 to have him stuffed, and now he scares me. I just thought that maybe your office could use a display.”
I told her that most of our clients would probably find a stuffed dog display a bit morbid. She smiled & thanked me . Halfway out the door she turned and said, “I think it’s Sammy’s eyes that scare me. They’re too big. The taxidermist must have put in German Shepherd eyes instead of poodle’s.
This is the prize.
Upholstery Eater's Contest Results
An Upholstery Story, by George Gavaletz
So, you want stories about upholstery huh? Well, I can tell you stories about upholstery, yes sir, I can tell you stories about upholstery. I've done my share of upholstery. Yes sir I have. I've cleaned it. I've brushed it. I've polished it. Yes sir, I have. Had a leather couch one time. Long time ago though. Yes sir, that was a long time ago. Polished it I did. What else have I done with upholstery? Well, I've mended it. I've vacuumed it clean. I've vacuumed it up clean. I've even scooped it. Yes sir, I've even scooped it. That was a day after I vacuumed it up clean.
~1st Prize for Gale/Hurricane Effect goes to: Bushbabies all.
~1st Prize for Focus goes to: Timmy Osenni
~1st Prize for Interior Design goes to Hala & Kenji:
"Are curtains those things that are supposed to hang by the windows? Mom says we can't have them because we like to pull on them and make them fall down. She's real mean 'cause she won't put them back up anymore. We're going to be in a contest. A Basenji club mom belongs to is having an "upholstery eaters" contest and we're sure to win. Mom's got these awful bright orange chairs that somebody gave to her. She won't get rid of them, so we have to eat them 'til they're gone. Sally can help us and the job should go much quicker."
~1st Prize for Aplomb goes to Yang Woods, from down under: "What's Yang got in her mouth? Is it the cover for an armrest for a sofa?" "Yes, it is.....sorry....I mean, Yes, it was."
~1st Prize for Unlucky Duck Work goes to Skyler & Kira Takara
~1st Prize for Consistency goes to Chauncey Pergola:
"A description of my home will reveal Chauncey as an unstuffing, mischievous, Basenji. I joke and say the couches belong to Chauncey. I strategically place the very large throw pillows on the gaping holes Chauncey has created. He started as a pup and when he wants my attention he goes over to the holes and starts to throw the foam that the couch cushions are made of, up into the air, of course when I approach him it's time for "catch me if you can" and no, I cannot catch him. The chair cushions also belong to Chauncey, yes they are stuffed with filling, and yes he tore the fabric and yes at least once a week I restuff the cushions. My mom said, why don't you sew them? I said he will only un-stuff them again."
~And, 1st Prize for Eating on Upholstery goes to Jimmy, Cricket, & Toulouse Lunetta:
Toulouse and Don.
"Hope all is well. We got a call from the Vet requesting I bring Cricket in for another blood sample because the lab messed something up - no charge. so this morning I left everyone without breakfast because the test was supposed to be on a fast. If one must fast they all must fast. I came home at 10:15 to get Cricket only to discover that they had decided to feed themselves. I keep the dog food and the bird seed in a large plastic can with snap on lid under the counter. It's hard to get off the lid and the can must be slid forward almost two feet in order to tip it over because of the counter. Need-less to say the can was not only tipped over the lid was off, the 50Lb bag of bird seed was all over the floor and the 40lb bag of dog food had been dragged over to the couch for comfortable eating. They hadn't yet turned on the TV but it looked like they were con-templating it. I really wish I had seen them do all this. What a team!"
~First prize in Collusion with a Machine To:
Selket (I never was interested in the other toss pillow -- just that one)
Selket's first summer she was crated during the day while I worked. It amazed me how far she could move the crate from inside it. It (a large wire crate) was in my bedroom, at the back of the house; since it was very hot I left a window fan on in the room to keep the air moving. I came through the front door one day in July after work and found "snowdrifts" swirling through the house! Selket had managed to move the crate about 6 feet to the window seat, whereupon had been folded an old down comforter as a cushion. No longer! There were a few shreds of soft old fabric and what looked like a mountain of feathers. The air from the fan had blown them throughout the house! Selket looked happy and tired -- from a lot of crate-scooting followed by shredding. She looked like a hoary old goat with down tufts clinging to her chin and eyebrows; the cats looked like dust bunnies.
In summary, from George Gavaletz:
"Now, you can get anybody with a Basenji to sit down on their previously upholstered chair and write all kinds of stories about how little Kapookie unstuffed the couch. How little Yeah, I've seen all of that. That leather couch I used to have. The girls used to love it. The Basenjis loved it too. Boy did they love it. Ever seen an eight foot long leather chew toy?
How does having Basenjis and doing all kinds of up-holstery stuff tie in? Well sir, it's like this. They roll on it, they sleep on it, they eat on it, they eat it, what's that you say, they eat it. Yes sir, they sure eat it."
First Prize is an original colored drawing, 'Destruction Scene,' by Lisa Osenni. Thanks to everybody for the wonderful stories & photos, & to Lisa, for the art.
