NR Holiday HUGS Drive Give the Gift of Rescue this Holiday Season! Happy Holidays from New Rattitude!  We’d like to take this opportunity to again say “thank you” to all of our faithful supporters. The contributions that so many of you generously and kind-heartedly made this past year have helped us respond to unexpected medical emergencies, expand our lifesaving programs, and plan for the future. New Rattitude, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable corporation. Since we spend more on veterinary care than our low adoption fees cover, we are dependent on public support through charitable tax deductible donations and fund-raising. With that in mind, we’re offering another opportunity for our friends to donate to New Rattitude in 2009  by giving the “gift of rescue” this holiday season! And there’s more…a generous donor has agreed to match holiday donations to New Rattitude up to $1,000! That means your donation will go twice as far. If you work for an organization that matches donations, you might even be able to triple that gift. Each $50 raised will buy a "box of hugs" for needy rat terriers, which we'll wrap in a colorful package and display on our website. When every package in the stack shows $50 on the outside of the gift box and the "tower of hugs" reaches the rat terrier at the top of the stack, we will have reached our $1,000 goal and doubled all donations! Can you help us this holiday season? Contributions of any amount--large or small--will help us towards our goal! Donations can be made using Paypal, or a check can be sent to New Rattitude, P.O. Box 14064, Lansing, MI  48901. Watch our "tower of hugs" grow and make your donation on the New Rattitude website by clicking here:  www.newrattitude.org/fundraising.htm We are really counting on you to allow us to save a record number of rat terriers in 2010.  Best wishes and sincere thanks from New Rattitude for a happy and healthy new year with your furry friends. New Members We'd like to welcome our most recent new members. Thanks for joining our team! Ashlee DeKilder, Michigan Judy McLaughlin, Ohio Morgan Robinson, Washington Randy and Michelle Kuiper, Ohio Judy Armstrong, Michigan Denise Gilroy, California Shelter Challenge...On the home stretch! Voting for the 2009 Shelter Challenge, sponsored by The Animal Rescue Site and Petfinder.com ends on December 20. New Rattitude has maintained our first place position for the state of Washington since the voting began in September. THANKS to everyone who has helped by voting for us every day. We are so close to that $1,000 prize we can taste it, but we must remain diligent in our voting efforts through the end of the contest to avoid slipping into second place and losing it all. To vote, go to http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge. In the search box, type "New Rattitude" for shelter name and choose "WA" for state. Then click the search button. When the search result comes up, click the button to vote. You must then name the animal whose picture appears to confirm your vote! Per contest rules, you may vote once a day from each computer you have access to. It only takes a minute; please help us win by voting every day and remind your family, friends and co-workers to do the same.

					O Henry  by Terry Beale One of New Rattitude's dogs is currently in training at the USDA's National Detector Dog Training Center in Newnan, Georgia! Here is the story of O Henry's journey from life on the streets to an "employee" of the United States government. We don't know when "O Henry" first found himself living on the streets. He accompanied his companion, a homeless man, from Arizona to Georgia in mid 2009, and came to the attention of Social Services when the man was hospitalized for mental illness. A caring social worker took Henry in during the man's hospitalization, then sought to find housing for the man after his discharge. One of the treating doctors felt that the man needed to be able to keep his dog for his emotional well-being, so they got a judge to sign an order requiring the housing facility to accept Henry as well. All seemed good for about a week, but then an incident involving a sawed-off shotgun landed the man in jail. His incarceration was clearly going to be long-term, so the housing facility turned Henry over to Animal Control. Animal Control contacted the man's estranged family about Henry. The family members said they'd "do what they could," but didn't show up to retrieve him. So Animal Control posted him on their website, where he was seen by NR member Patti Jeffries, who visited him at the shelter. Patti found a fat (30 lb.), happy, friendly, playful boy who was clearly an awesome dog. Unfortunately, NR had no openings at the time, so we posted him on our Urgent list and hoped for the best. Meanwhile, the social worker continued trying to save Henry. With no luck convincing the man's ex-wife or estranged daughter to get him or finding anyone else willing to adopt him, and being notified by the shelter that Henry had reached the end of his time and was due to be euthanized, the social worker found New Rattitude. When she told me his story, I realized that this was the dog Patti had evaluated. I sent another plea to our Georgia team, and this time Kim Markham and Donovan Conrad responded because their foster Nutmeg was on the verge of adoption, creating a space. Kim and Donovan's dilemma was that they have a personal dog with immunity issues, so can't take a dog straight out of a shelter who might be sick or soon get sick. We needed someone to hold Henry temporarily for a couple of weeks to ensure he didn't have any contagious illness before he could go to them. I thought we could work that out, so I contacted the shelter to notify them that we would take Henry... but the shelter said that Henry was gone! They didn't know where he was or what happened to him, just that he was no longer there. I contacted the social worker, who did some sleuthing and found out that the homeless man's daughter had picked Henry up that morning, not really wanting him, but making the effort on her father's behalf. A friend of hers had agreed to keep Henry temporarily while she tried to find somewhere else for him to go. She was glad for NR to take Henry, and she indicated that her friend could hold him for a couple of weeks of "quarantine," so all seemed to be working. But the friend's plans changed, and just 5 days later we were told that Henry had to be moved because the friend was leaving on a trip. Assured that Henry wasn't sick, and seeing no other viable options, Kim took a leap of faith and went to pick him up. It took less than half an hour for Kim to notice that Henry was indeed coughing. So we had to scramble and do a little dog swapping, and the next morning Henry came to my home for the duration of his kennel cough. After 10 days, with Henry almost over his illness, I put him on our website. And through that profile, just two days later, I received an inquiry about him. I called the woman to discuss Henry. After a lot of questions and answers, she let me know that she was a training specialist for the US Department of Agriculture and that she was seeking a rat terrier to be trained as a "snail dog" (for detecting undesirable snails on imports into the US) for the USDA. The National Detector Dog Training Center is located in Newnan, Georgia, about an hour from me. Most of the dogs they train are beagles, who sniff out banned agricultural produce at airports, railyards, ports, and warehouses, and Labs, who mostly work on border patrol. But for this snail program the woman specifically wanted a rat terrier, for a variety of reasons, and she felt that Henry's background, temperament, and personality made him an excellent candidate. She also liked his chubbiness, saying that it indicated a likelihood of his being highly food motivated. So my husband and I took Henry to visit the NDDTC and got a grand tour. This facility is jaw-dropping. It is HUGE, brand new, ultra clean and organized, and clearly a multi-multi-million dollar undertaking. Huge training rooms simulate an airport baggage area, a warehouse, a railway cargo area, etc. Each training room has a satellite room for "target" items (the things they're learning to detect), another for "non-target" items (their training rewards as well as the things they're learning to ignore, like bread and cheese), a classroom, plus an inclined treadmill where the dogs work to get fit. One whole building is just for vetting. There are four separate buildings of kennels--one is the quarantine area and the other three are the "living quarters," arranged by dog size. The indoor/outdoor kennels have Astroturf surfaces and automatic-fill water dishes, and are arranged pod-style around a central kitchen where the food is prepared. There are play yards for daily structured socialization and playtime, including a huge covered agility yard to give the handlers and trainers a chance to play and bond with the dogs when the dogs are "off-duty." All of the staff we met were friendly, professional, and obviously knew the various dogs there (currently 45) on sight by name. Two training specialists took Henry for his temperament testing. They have a series of 15 tests for socialization, food drive, focus, and reaction to strange objects and sounds. He passed that with flying colors. The next part of the testing is comfort with strange places (up on something high, in a small space, in a kennel, in a crate, etc.) and strange situations (at the airport to look at his reaction to passengers and crowds, luggage, carousels, vehicles, etc.), plus overall adaptability to the environment. The NDDTC won't keep a dog who shows anxiety or unhappiness. After that initial screening, the dog is taken to their veterinarian for medical screening: overall exam plus blood screening, urine screening, hip and spine X-rays, heartworm and fecal tests. Henry passed all of this screening so he is now officially a trainee as a USDA snail dog. The NDDTC training is normally a 10-week program, but since the snail dog program is new, it could be the end of February before he becomes certified. Whenever they determine that he has completed his training, he will get his uniform and become a government employee! If for any reason he were to not pass the training, of course he would come back to me. This program is expected to attract a lot of media attention. Not only would that spotlight shine on Henry himself, but also on rat terriers in general and on New Rattitude! The training specialist reports that Henry is doing great. He is relaxed, eager, and comfortable...though maybe a bit annoyed about being on a diet and exercise program.

					News and Events Abbott Laboratories Donates Glucose Meter for Diabetic NR Foster A big THANK YOU to Mike Vaughn of Abbott Laboratories for the donation of an AlphaTRAK glucose meter for NR foster mom Sue Wichman's diabetic foster, Claire. The AlphaTRAK is specifically designed for home use with animals and is much more accurate than the glucose meter for humans that Sue had previously been using. We appreciate the generosity of Mike and Abbott for this wonderful gift. The Best Looking Dog at FedEx! Devin Brown, who adopted Eli from foster mom Nadia Chiodini last year, reports that "Eli went against everyone in the state of Texas who works for FedEx Freight in the sales organization" to win the award for the best looking dog with company spirit. Eli won a $50 PetSmart gift card. CongRATulations to Eli and Devin! PetSmart Photos With Santa Every December PetSmart provides an opportunity for rescue groups to raise money by taking pet photos with Santa. For every photo purchased, the rescue earns $5. Last year NR volunteers in three states earned a total of $1,330! This year our Georgia PetSmart team will also be participating so we are hoping for an even more successful event. 2009 Dates and PetSmart locations are: Alabaster, Alabama on December 12, 13, 19 and 20 Tucker, Georgia at the Northlake PetSmart on December 6 and 13 Lafayette, Indiana on December 13 Federal Way, Washington on December 12, 13 and 20 If you live near any of these locations, stop by and meet our volunteers. And be sure to bring your ratties for a photo with our NR Santa! Great Holiday Gifts in the NR ReTail Shop! Want to find everything for the rattie lover or rescuer on your gift list? We've got great NR gear and logowear from hats, t-shirts and sweatshirts to mugs, totes, and more. Rescue charms and stickers make perfect stocking stuffers, and don't forget the jewelry from BabySue Beads, and fleece coats and "jamz" from Best Friends Fleece. Visit the ReTail Shop today! Shopping Online? Don't Forget GoodShop and iGive! Helping New Rattitude is as easy as clicking on a link at GoodShop.com and iGive.com where thousands of stores will donate a percentage of your purchase to the charity of your choice. Just go to either site, choose New Rattitude as your cause, and start shopping!

					Frodo's Product Review: Antlerz By Janell Brown and Frodo First a disclaimer: No reindeer were harmed in the testing of this month’s reviewed product. Last Christmas, Santa himself left me a sock full of treats and toys. I had sat on the fat man’s lap a few weeks earlier and asked for a delicious hunk of dead animal to chew on for Christmas. Santa made me a bit nervous with his ho, ho, ho-ing and I sprinkled his lap a bit so I wasn’t expecting much, to tell the truth. I mean, even a puppy knows that you don’t pee on Santa, no matter how much you want to mark the guy.  So imagine my surprise when, after pulling out all the squeaky balls, bully sticks and toys from that sock, I found a genuine hunk of dead animal. Well it was “dead” in a sense, but it wasn’t exactly the stinking, rotting carcass that I had been hoping for. You see, ol’ St. Nick had left me a chunk of one of his reindeer's antlers. It seemed a little sick to go and chop off a hunk of your pet's appendage, even if it was for a guy as great as I am, but hey, I’m not going to complain. Even without the stink, this hunk of deer is a pretty darn good chew. My human even soaked it in some beef broth for extra flavor. I chewed on that venison tusk for a good three months before some annoying foster brother buried it in the back yard. I still sniff around back there on occasion, looking for it. I bet it will be better than ever after a whole summer in the ground. I later learned from my human that Santa didn’t chop off the antler. You see, deer are somewhat wasteful, and they throw out a perfectly good pair of antlers each year and grow new ones. Santa merely recycles the ones that his herd carelessly discards. Not only are these natural chews delicious and great for your teeth, they won’t stain your human's carpet or make a mess for them to clean up. The only downside that I can find is that they don’t stink, although humans tend to see this as a plus. If you have been a little too naughty this year to expect something this great under the tree then let your human know that they can purchase antlers at their local independent pet stores. The two brands that my human likes to purchase are Antlerz and Ziwi Peak. Antlerz is a Seattle company and Ziwi Peak is located in New Zealand. They run from about $7.50 for a small chunk up to $40 for the new humongous size. Even a small chunk will last you for months, so it is well worth the money.

					Hey! Wait! By Sue Painter-Thorne Doors are fascinating to dogs, what with all the possibilities of what could be happening on the other side! But some of those possibilities include busy streets, unfenced yards, and hapless squirrels. Teaching a dog to “wait” at a door is a great way to prevent our dogs from rushing through them into dangerous or unwanted situations. To start teaching "wait," choose a closed interior door that opens away from you. With your dog on a short leash beside you, walk towards the door. Do not pull against or jerk the leash, it is there simply to keep the dog with you. Since the door will be closed, the dog can’t go through it, so you do not need to have any tension on the leash. When you get to the door, stop. Most likely, your dog will also stop, if just to see what’s up. When your dog stops, click and treat (or say “yes!” and treat). If the dog does not stop, ask for a sit and click and treat when he sits. Now walk away from the door and then approach it again. If the dog stops before you get to the door, click and treat. If he doesn’t stop, then you stop and click/treat when he does. Repeat this several times until the dog is hesitating as you approach the door. Every time you approach the door, click and treat when the dog stops, even if he stops before you do! At the beginning of training, a stop may be very brief, just a second. This means you’ll have to pay close attention to make sure you see the dog stop in time to mark that behavior with a click (or verbal marker). Timing is important--you don’t want to reinforce any movement, so be sure to click the moment the dog stops completely, then reward the behavior. If you miss it, don’t fret; just try again. Once the dog figures out you’re rewarding him for stopping, you can build in duration by delaying the click and treat for increasing periods of time--but still making sure you’re only marking nonmovement. When the dog is reliably stopping when you approach the door, it’s time to increase the criteria. Walk to the door as above, stopping in front of it. This time, when the dog stops, don’t click and treat. Instead, reach for the door handle. Click and treat when the dog stays still. If he moves, then circle back to the door and try again. When he can wait with your hand on the doorknob, then jiggle the handle. Mark and reward nonmovement. Again, in the beginning you’re just asking for a second of nonmovement. Repeat this several times, increasing the amount of time you jiggle the handle as the dog gets better at staying still. Once he’s solidly waiting when you reach for the doorknob, it’s time to add in the cue--i.e., the word “wait” (or any word you want to use). To add the cue, repeat the last step a couple times. That is, walk to the door, but this time say “wait” as you reach for the knob. If the dog stays still as you grab the knob, click and treat. The idea is for him to associate the word “wait” with your hand reaching for the doorknob so that your hand movement will signal “wait.” After several successful repetitions with you reaching for the door and jiggling the knob, start turning the doorknob, but don’t open the door. Say “wait” and turn the knob. Click and treat when he stays still while you’re turning the knob. Do this a couple times until the dog is successful several times in a row. Once the dog is successful at waiting while the knob is turned, open the door, but just a few inches. If he rushes towards the door, close it gently. Don’t slam it! This is a good time to use the leash: hold or stand on the end, leaving limited slack so that he can’t get to the door (you don’t want to shut the door in his face or squish a toe). If he waits, then click and treat. If he just can’t hold it together and rushes to the door on the second attempt, that’s a sign you may be going too fast. That means you need to decrease the difficulty level by going back to the place he was last successful--maybe back to jiggling the doorknob or turning it. Practice at that level, then return to opening the door a few inches. When your dog is able to wait with the door open an inch or two, ask him to wait for increasing amounts of time. Once he can wait with the door open a couple inches for several seconds, open it a bit wider. Then a bit more. Eventually, the door will be completely open. At this point, you’re ready to start walking through the doorway yourself. Start out by just moving towards the door. Click and treat when the dog stays still. Repeat this a couple times until he understands. Then, move through the door one foot at a time. Click and treat when the dog stays on the other side of the door. Build in duration slowly by increasing the amount of time between when you step through the door and when you click. As you build duration, don’t forget to reward your dog for waiting on the other side of the door. Once you’re through the door, and after marking and rewarding the wait, give your dog a release cue (something like “okay” or “free”) to let him know it’s okay to come through the doorway. I realize these instructions seem long. That’s more a reflection of my writing style than an indication of how long it takes to teach wait. In fact, most dogs get it in less than a half hour. Once the dog understands it at the first door, however, you’ll need to practice it at other doors. Dogs don’t generalize well, and simply because they understand “wait” at one door does not mean they will automatically understand it at all other doors. So take a tour of all your household doors, the doors of your friends, even the doors of pet stores. Be sure to teach him to wait at doors that open towards you as well as those that open out. Also practice wait before coming inside, not only when going outside. It might seem like a lot of doors, but once the foundation is laid by the initial training, the dog should pick it up much more quickly with each new door. Further, keep in mind that some doors are harder than others depending on what is on the other side! For instance, a door that opens to a back yard full of squirrels will be harder to wait at than a door that opens to the bathtub. Add in distractions slowly and remember that with each distraction you may have to back up to an easier step while the dog learns to work even in the face of distractions. Distractions can also include other dogs. If you have a multi-dog household, work with each dog one-on-one, then add them together one at a time asking for group “waits.” Finally, you can use “wait” in all sorts of places other than doors. Use wait before letting your dog out of his crate or before letting him out of the car. Wait is also helpful before crossing streets or at the top of stairs. Practice every day. As the dog gets better at waiting, give treats only intermittently. And, remember that the reward can also be the release--getting to go outside is often the best reward ever! For more information, see Pat Miller’s The Power of Positive Training (2nd ed. 2008).

					Furever Home We are proud to announce that 22 more NR ratties have found their furever homes. CongRATulations to all, and to the new adopters, WELCOME to the New Rattitude family! Zach - Fostered by Cathy Conrad, adopted by Gregory Sweet Chipper - Fostered by Debbie Collins, adopted by Robert Sanders Peanut - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Amanda Brown Hercules - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Nona Yanez Cecilia - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Leslie Daaga Jellybean - Fostered by Sue Wichman, adopted by Carl Quandt Callie - Fostered by Nancy Breedlove, adopted by Alan Cloutier Cassie - Fostered by Nancy Breedlove, adopted by Jessica Hodges Ajax - Fostered by Bethany Adams, adopted by Kurt and Kelly Wilhelm Maximum Puppy - Fostered by Bethany Adams, adopted by Mary Ann Bruno Harry - Fostered by Diane Cosentini, adopted by Joseph Gallagher Addax - Fostered by Bethany Adams, adopted by Ann Strong Cricket - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Kristi Byrd Brigid - Fostered by Diane Hudson, adopted by Norbert Necker Prissy - Fostered by Julie Barr, adopted by Ernest and Sharon Dykes Kyle Petty/Kayden- Fostered by Kelia Hamilton, adopted by Kim Yager Shane - Fostered Nadia Chiodini, adopted by Coren Weis Teela - Fostered by Paula Nowak, adopted by Katie Rubesch and Leah Owenby Chester - Fostered by Diane Cosentini, adopted by Judy Richardson Merlin - Fostered by Nadia Chiodini, adopted by Cynthia Rerko Molly - Fostered by Cathy Conrad, adopted by Anthony and Melanie Lema Katie/Samantha - ReHome Program, adopted by Donna Swart In The Clinic Currently New Rattitude has six dogs in our Canine Clinic: Buffy, who came into foster care with a broken leg; Macon, who died from pancreatic disease; Dancie, with multiple health problems including heartworms; Claire who is struggling to overcome severe neglect complicated by diabetes and pancreatic issues; Eddie Blue who has had two separate surgeries to repair a badly broken leg; and Grammy, a senior female who was treated for stage 4 peridontal disease. Dogs in the Canine Clinic have incurred vet bills that adoption fees don't cover. If you can help, please visit the link above to read about these dogs and consider a donation to help us cover these costs. Canine Clinic donors are listed on our Donor Recognition board. We appreciate every dollar...without the help of our supporters, we would not be able to rescue these ratties with medical needs.

					Pumpkin Bars  Submitted by Sue Painter-Thorne Healthy holiday treats for the 4-legged members of your family! Ingredients: One 32 oz can pumpkin (pure pumpkin, not pie filling) 4+ cups Quaker Oats: Instant or quick (original-style oats work also but take longer to cook). 4 eggs Ground ginger, approximately 1 tablespoon Plain yogurt, approximately 1/2 cup Raw honey, approximately 2 tablespoons Directions: Preheat oven to 320 degrees. Combine eggs, yogurt, honey, and ginger in a bowl. Stir together with a spoon or fork. Stir in pumpkin. Add oats until mixture is like a soft paste. Divide mixture between two 9x9 baking pans sprayed with cooking oil spray. Pat into flat layer, being sure to get into the corners of the pan. Bake until the mix pulls away from the edges of the pan & a knife comes out clean (approximately 1 to 1.5 hours). Remove from oven and let cool. Slice into one-inch cubes (if chilled in refrigerator first, they are easier to slice). If the bars fall apart too easily next time add more oats. If they seem too dry you can add more eggs or less oats.   Optional step: After removing bars from oven, let them cool on a rack and then chill in the refrigerator. Then slice the bars into one inch cubes, arrange them on a drying rack (or cookie sheet) so there is space between each piece. Bake in a 300 to 325 degree oven for another 20 to 30 minutes until the sides of each piece are brown. This will make a drier, biscuit-like treat, which is less messy to handle.   Store covered in refrigerator for up to a week. Freeze any leftovers, as they will go moldy if kept more than a week or so.

					Dancing With Dogs   By Nadia Chiodini and the Pack Canine Freestyle Dancing Something fun and healthy for all of us--dancing with our dogs. I have just recently discovered this sport and it sounded like so much fun that I have already ordered a book so I can start working with my dogs. I was lucky enough to find a New Rattitude member who is learning to do canine freestyle dancing. Dana Olness has been with NR since June 2009, helping with the Pawgress Report team and heading up the new Behavior Modification team. Dana is quite busy with her own rat terriers, Jack and Tommy, training and competing in obedience, rally, and agility. Both of her boys have earned their Companion Dog (CD) titles in traditional obedience, Jack finished his Rally Excellent (RE) title and Tommy has his Rally Advanced (RA) title in Rally obedience. Dana hasn't taken any canine freestyle dancing classes as there are none available near her, so she ordered a book. So far she has taught her dogs some of the basic moves, but they are still in the beginning stages of training. I asked Dana why she decided to try canine freestyle. "It just looked like a lot of fun! To watch a team, so in tune with each other and moving together as one, will take your breath away. I like that it’s something almost any dog can do. Jack is older now and has had two orthopedic surgeries to repair ACL ruptures in both knees. So he no longer can do the more physically demanding sports. Freestyle is something he can do without putting extra stress on his joints. Jack really enjoyed Rally because we were always side by side and working together, so freestyle seemed the next logical choice for us." Dana went on to say, "I think all training is a wonderful way to bond with your dog. Freestyle is especially good for dogs who lack confidence and prefer to be closer to their handler (as opposed to obedience or agility where the dog is quite often working at a distance from the handler). I think it’s also good for people who aren’t comfortable doing training or maybe don’t have a lot of experience in training. There’s really no right or wrong way to dance with your dog. You can teach them certain movements, but each dog is going to put their own 'twist' on it. And yes, attention is so important especially in this sport. Jack and I have so much fun learning new moves. And that’s what it’s all about--spending quality time with your dog and just enjoying being together." Dana told me it doesn't cost much at all to get started. A good book orDVD will get you going. Add some yummy treats and props which can be found around the house. She recommended the book Dancing with your Dog by Sandra Davis, and said Sandra also has a DVD for sale. I like dog dancing because it is something anyone can do just for fun. You don't have to compete, you can enjoy just dancing around your living room with your dog. My dogs think it is grand fun even if we don't know what we are doing yet! It's great exercise too. Explore the websites below for more information, available books and DVDs, and many links to amazing performance videos of canine freestyle dancing. worldcaninefreestyle.org caninefreestyle.com canine-freestyle.org musicaldogsport.org

					Volunteer Spotlight - Julie Barr By Sue Kangas New Rattitude volunteer Julie Barr of Indianapolis, Indiana first discovered rat terriers when she co-owned a pet store in North Carolina. Although she’d been a “German Shepherd person,” she always liked terriers, especially their prey drive. “They’re malleable. You can train them to do so much,” Julie added. Julie bought her first rat terrier, Squirt, from one of her pet store customers who bred rat terriers. Julie’s pack currently consists of Squirt, plus Teddy and Jeannie, both rescued rat terriers. Julie earned an Associate’s Degree last May, graduating with honors. She is a Certified Medical Assistant, Certified Phlebotomist, and a Certified Nurse Aide. She is currently preparing to sit for her phlebotomy boards to become nationally certified as well. Much of Julie's spare time is spent as a “road warrior” for New Rattitude. Whenever a rat terrier needs to be transported almost anywhere in the Midwest, Julie is usually eager and willing to help. NR volunteer Norma Downing commented, "I have been astounded at how FAR she has driven to check out a shelter dog (I think she has not ever turned one down) or to transport a foster pup to another foster home, or all the way to its forever home." Julie herself said, “There haven’t been many dogs that came through Indiana that I haven’t had my hands on!” To give a flavor for the number, types, and lengths of transports Julie has been involved in over the past year, consider this: One weekend, Julie drove a two-day transport involving five rat terriers. On day one, she put 600 miles on her vehicle in a round trip from Indianapolis to Nashville. The following day after catching two hours of sleep, she drove another 400 miles round trip to Chicago’s O’Hare airport to put two dogs on a 6:00 a.m. flight to Washington state. Julie’s 16-hour transport resulted in four foster dogs delivered to their waiting foster parents, and one dog delivered to its forever home. Another marathon trip involved driving to southern Illinois (about four hours one way), to pick up several puppymill dogs that were going into rescue--some to NR and some to other organizations. Still another had Julie driving to Covington, Kentucky to pick up two ratties which she took straight to the Cincinnati airport for a flight to Seattle, about 230 round trip miles. The more stories Julie told, the more I realized how true it was that she has laid her hands on many NR fosters through her transports (Franny, Rico, Nutmeg, Lulu, Peanut, Kewpie, Poppy, Aden, Chilly, Ivan, Asher, and Larry Fine, to name just a few!). Julie has even recruited her brother, who lives in Delaware, to help with transports from the Midwest to the East. “Transport is my niche,” says Julie.  “I don’t mind doing it at all. By far my most memorable moments have been transporting.” To help pass the time during transports, Julie has become hooked on audio books. She downloads them, plays them through her GPS, and loves to listen to them while she drives. Anyone who does animal transport knows that as little as one hour of your time can make the difference between life and death, and that sometimes all that stands between death and freedom is a ride...Thank you, Julie Barr, for the countless hours you’ve spent driving so many rat terriers to safety!

					Inside a Rescuer's  Heart Terry Beale and Macon By Nadia Chiodini and the Pack Macon and his female companion were turned into a rural Georgia shelter by their owner, for reasons unknown. They were both pulled by NR on August 1 and Macon came to Atlanta to be fostered by Terry Beale.   Terry remembers that in the beginning, four-year-old Macon was a "wild-eyed, terrified mess." "He was a Houdini when it came to avoiding being put on leash; and once on leash, he would buck and dart and go into alligator rolls, trying to escape. But within a day or two, he was venturing up to me and allowing himself to be petted. It took a couple of weeks before I could easily reach for him without him shying away." Even then, he wouldn't have anything to do with Terry's husband, Gary, except in the end when he felt so very ill. Terry said, "We could tell how awful Macon was feeling by how willing he was to let Gary approach him or touch him. When Macon was having a good day, Gary would exclaim happily, 'He wouldn't let me touch him!'" With Terry though, Macon was a lovebug. He would close up when strangers were around but when it was just Terry, he was a lap snuggler and an attention mooch. He would greet her excitedly with yips and leaps even if she'd only been gone a few minutes.   Macon had health problems from the start--first, a bad case of kennel cough that he contracted at the shelter, and then he had to undergo major neuter surgery for being cryptorchid. He came through all of that just fine, however, and things were looking good. He was coming out of his shell, had learned to walk well on leash, to sit on command, and to use the doggy door.   One Friday afternoon, after Macon had been with the Beales about eight weeks, he suddenly started acting strange. He had refused his dinner the night before, and wouldn't eat breakfast that morning. They noticed that he staggered when he walked and seemed a little "out of it" and lethargic. It quickly got worse, to where he was walking around dazed, unable to keep upright without keeling over sideways, and drooling profusely. The vet's office was just closing for the day but they told Terry to bring Macon right in. He was put on IV fluids, antibiotics, and meds for pain and nausea, but the cause of his problems (including a weight loss of over a pound on his tiny frame) was unknown. Some of the possibilities mentioned were distemper, poisoning, virus, bacterial infection, hepatitis, and head trauma. His symptoms, however were not entirely consistent with any of those. When the meds kicked in, he was relatively stabilized, and they hoped that when the bloodwork came back, a diagnosis could be made.   That night Macon's condition continued to deteriorate, and he started having mild seizures. They didn't last long and he didn't lose consciousness, but they were still disturbing. The next day he was put on more fluids and kept for observation. The lab results indicated highly elevated liver enzyme levels but no other significant abnormalities. Terry took him home for the night and returned the next morning (Terry's caring vet opened the clinic on a Sunday just to see Macon!) for more fluids and meds. The doctors were now leaning toward a liver shunt as the probable cause, so they put him on a low protein diet and ordered more tests, but when those results came back, they were also inconclusive, not typical for a shunt.   At this point Macon clearly wasn't back to normal but he did seem to be rallying. The vet said that next steps normally would be to go ahead with an ultrasound and guided biopsy to try to diagnose liver cancer, congenital problem, etc., but she agreed that since Macon's weight was back up, appetite was good, and he had no fever or vomiting, to try the more conservative approach--continue with the antibiotics and low protein diet and put him on Denosyl to support the liver. Terry began hunting for specialty vet clinics with the capability of doing liver ultrasound with guided biopsy and getting cost estimates. The prices ranged from $500 to $2500. NR began fund-raising to pay for this, hoping that such a huge expenditure wouldn't be necessary, but wanting to be prepared just in case.   Macon would have his ups and downs. Some days he appeared to be feeling better and would eat ravenously. Other days he seemed confused and in discomfort and would eat nothing at all. His walk was always unsteady, but some days he would trot around the yard a bit, while other days he barely left his bed or Terry's lap. His almost-perfect housetraining record was broken, as he began peeing in the house a lot. He trembled most of the time. Eventually he began to deteriorate more rapidly and Terry decided to proceed with the ultrasound.   The ultrasound showed that Macon's liver was relatively normal sized, though somewhat inflamed. The pancreas was also VERY inflamed--one of the worst the doctor had ever seen. No other abnormalities were found, and they couldn't determine the cause, or even whether the problem was acute or chronic, or whether it would resolve on his own. Macon's diet was changed again and they also put him on a different antibiotic combo along with meds for his abdominal pain. Whatever was going on did not seem to be classic pancreatitis because some of the primary symptoms didn't fit at all, so in some ways it was as confusing as ever. But the Beales were hopeful once again that with the right diet and meds this could maybe resolve on its own. There were really no other treatment options.   "Over the next 12 days, things went up and down. He would start feeling good, acting perky, eating readily, and being his normal self, and we would get our hopes up. Then the next day he would be hunched in pain with tail tucked tight between his legs, refusing to eat, staggering all over and unable to sit still. When he'd be like this, our hopes would plunge deeper than ever. It became clear to us that this was not something he was going to recover from. His bad days got increasingly worse, and his good days were fewer. Meanwhile he kept getting skinnier, as his body clearly wasn't processing his food right. His breathing became labored and congested." The Beales knew that it was time. On October 24, they took him in to Terry's vet to end the torment and give little Macon some peace.   "Although it was definitely heartbreaking to know that ultimately Macon's life couldn't be saved, it still was so gratifying to have had the chance to try. I think of that petrified, trembling, untrusting, "zoned out" boy who first arrived here from the shelter, and contrast that image to my memories of him lying contentedly in my lap, belly up, eyes almost closed, relaxed and warm and obviously happy, and I do feel good. Maybe we couldn't give him a long life, but we did give him a great last few weeks--perhaps the only great few weeks he had ever known. Even when he was feeling so horrible, he still had love in his eyes for me, and that is exceptionally gratifying. The memory of that love and trust makes it easier to keep doing what we need to do for the next dogs, because it's a reminder that no matter how "unattached" a dog seems in the beginning, it's almost always possible to reach him and give him something that makes him happy and improves his life." Thank you, Terry, for giving Macon a place in your heart and home, and that little bit of the happy, normal life that every dog should have.

					Where Are They Now? Mannie By Norma Downing True love waits...and waits...and waits Mannie's journey from being #A522058, an orphan puppy suffering with demodex in a Texas kill shelter, to being described by his Washington state adoptive mom as "healed and happy as can be, and a very important member of our family," was the result of many hearts touched and motivated by this tiny and pitiful rattie mix.   In September 2008, a NR volunteer found Mannie on death row, destined to be put to sleep the next day because he was too young to survive the death of his mother. She carried Mannie home and began the plans for his "Flight to Freedom" to Washington state. Mannie's "Rest of the Story" life had begun! Mannie's foster mom, Kathy Young, said that the American Airlines transport crew recognized how especially needy this pup was, and hand carried him right to her arms at the SeaTac airport terminal. The following are excepts from NR follow-up caller Shannon Bayless's Pawgress report on Mannie last June.   Mannie was a "demodex pup" from a shelter in Texas. His mom died of heartworms and little Mannie went through extensive treatment for demodex, then nearly died after his neuter surgery, which required additional recovery time. Heather and Jasen Raphael's love for Mannie was so deep that they were willing to wait from October 2008 until late April 2009 before he was well enough to move from foster care to his forever home with them. During the wait, Heather "puppy sat" Mannie whenever Kathy needed to travel and kept up with his medicine and medicated baths. He was her "Little Man" long before he came to live with them. Mannie, now called Tucker, is healthy with no signs of demodex. He has a mini Dachshund sister, Chloe, that he loves. "They are like two peas in a pod," said Heather. "His sis hated her crate until her new bro came along. He's so comfortable in his crate that he showed her it was okay. Now they both quietly sleep in their crates." Tucker is a shy pup who still occasionally hides under a table. When guests are in the home, he runs to the top of the stairs to observe the action from a safe distance. When he feels more comfortable, he descends the stairs to observe the guests more closely. Heather said his house training has been "a challenge." He now barks to go out and can control himself inside a routine. Tucker is very food oriented. "Very," Heather emphasized a couple of times. "His mouth waters like crazy at the mere suggestion that he might be due some food." Kathy and Heather have kept in contact regarding much-loved Tucker. Heather said it was great to know that she always has someone to turn to who also cares a lot for her boy. I could have asked Heather if she is happy with Tucker, but that seemed redundant.

					Want to Get Involved? Join The Pack! Volunteer participation is critical to our success and our ability to save dogs. New Rattitude has many volunteer opportunities and ways that you can participate that involve as little or as much time as you wish to contribute: Fostering, transporting, adoption screening, fundraising, organizational tasks, shelter monitoring, public relations, newsletter, special events, and more. As a member of our team, you will always be treated with respect and your contributions appreciated. Volunteer education and training are ongoing, and support and advice willingly shared. If you are interested in joining our team, please fill out our online Volunteer Application! Donate Cash donations go directly to pay for veterinary expenses for our rescued dogs, including vaccinations, heartworm testing and treatment, spay/neuters, antibiotics, etc. Since we are an all-volunteer organization with virtually no overhead, 100% of your donation goes to care for the dogs. To donate, send check or money order to: New Rattitude, PO Box 14064, Lansing, MI 48901. Or donate via Paypal by sending a payment to: treasurer@newrattitude.org GoodSearch/GoodShop GoodSearch.com is a Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up! Go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter New Rattitude as the charity you want to support.   GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall that donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy's, and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting New Rattitude as your chosen cause.

					'Tude News Team Managing Editor: Susan Beard Copy Editor: Kathy Puckett Staff Writers: Janell Brown, Sherri Chatterton, Nadia Chiodini, Debbie Collins, Norma Downing, Barbara Hill, Patti Jeffries, Sue Kangas, Jessica Mannon, Sue Painter-Thorne, Sharon Smith, and Heidee Vansant Webmaster/Archives: Bethany Adams 'Tude News is published monthly. Freelance submissions are welcome. To submit a story or story idea, please contact the Managing Editor at newsletter@newrattitude.org. Visit our archives to view previous issues of 'Tude News.