Comments & Feedback

hi

— [hussin]

You get bored with this place?

— schnoo

I read your Smashing Pumpkins review.. loved it! It only made me more excited for the show tonight. I have a 7 yr old son that really wants to go... do you think he would be too young for that experience?? We have pretty good balcony seats.. so we wouldn't be on the floor... any suggestions???

— mjflo

Celestina. What can I say about her....

Oh yeah, I already said all I can right here.

-Dave

— David Mc Girr

Hello. Very nice article on the commitment it takes to raise a wolfdog pup (or any pup). Being in wolf and wolfdog rescue, we end up with a lot of calls when these animals reach 6 months-18 months and people can no longer "handle" them. We've also been getting a lot of calls to rescue older dogs due to foreclosures, illnesses of two-legged family members, or unexpected deaths (plan ahead and include "all" of your family members in a will / trust).

The problems are multi-faceted: not enough research about the desired animal, wanting to be "cool or macho" and have an exotic animal, the desire to "have it and have it now" without consideration that this is a being that could live 15 or so years in capitivity (as opposed to wolves that generally live 7 years in the wild), disreputable breeders that just want to make a buck and will misrepresent their animals as whatever the buyer wants (high vs. low, family dog vs. guard dog, etc. and soforth), seriously misinformed backyard breeders, and shelters that hear the word "wolf" and immediately equate it to "liability".

You've done a good job of describing the containment needs and lifetime demands of the pup. Would you consider a follow-up article on what it takes to rescue an animal? The research that should go into that, finding a responsible rescuer, the screening that takes place? Older pups and adult dogs are not as easily placed but can be just as rewarding (or moreso) as you are saving them from death, or worse, in many cases. With the proper screening, you can get the perfect companion for your current family, dog, cats, kids, etc. There are many in rescue that ARE house dogs already trained, or ARE good with kids, or ARE ready for retirement and need a quiet home. It is not always possible to tell if a pup will want to be inside or outside (as you pointed out) and socializing on its own cannot counter the inherent nature of the animal (introvert vs. extrovert), as proven by a pair of pups we rescued. I can promise you that we CAN tell with the rescued animals what they want / need!

The network we have to rescue these animals spreads across the U.S. and into Canada. We have a 5 page "adoption application" so that we can determine what your environment / home is like, what you desire in a dog, what you have experience with (like you, my rescued neglected & abused husky was my best preparation for dealing with wolfdogs), and then we try to match up the RIGHT rescued animal with the RIGHT home. We have very few come back and the ones that have not worked out were not through the fault of the animal...but the owner (and they WERE placed as pups not adults). We also require references, vet references, and home visits for containment verification (think of adopting a child...we're that serious).

There are other considerations as well, not previously mentioned. Wolfdogs are NOT legal in every state, county, city or township. You need to research those laws, as many places have banned them (just like they are doing with Pitt Bull Terriers). The responsible owners with wolfdogs need to watch for pending legislation and be active to counter these bans as well as educating people about these animals and responsible ownership.

Join grouplists dedicated to wolfdogs, visit sanctuaries & rescues, really research this "breed" of animal prior to acquiring one so that we have more responsible owners and advocates out there protecting them. They are the bastard stepchild in a lot of ways, as those who do wolves and wolf rescue will not have them and those who do dog rescue do not want them, either. They are, however, truly intelligent and amazing and have been used successfully as therapy dogs, visited hospitals, SAR dogs (Haiku Kennels in FL uses them exclusively all over the world), and CAN be a great family / pack member!

If you are going to go to a breeder (for a domestic dog or wolfdog), check out that breeder. Do an online search for comments / blogs. Ask around in the rescue groups for reputations (rescuers know who will take their lines back and who couldn't care less as well as where the health / behavior problems lie), look at their contract & commitments. Do they guarantee health? Will they take the animal back IN ITS LIFETIME, anytime? If it is from their line then they should be willing to ensure the animal's well-being FOR LIFE. A good rescuer will do these things as well. Ask for THEIR vet reference / inspector or county AC reference. Kennels usually have to be licensed by someone. Make sure the parents are on premise and able to be seen. Check out the temperament of the parents, as that is the genetic pool from which the puppy draws. If they are unwilling to answer questions, unwilling to let you meet the animals IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT, then walk AWAY and find a different breeder or rescuer. A good breeder or rescuer would be happy to provide these references and glad to have someone going to that much effort, as it will mean a good placement for the animal.

Our website is a little behind in being updated, but there are links to more resources as well as our rescue network for anyone wantint more information on wolfdogs or other exotics. Kindest regards, Deanna, Shy Wolf Sanctuary
www.shywolfsanctuary.com

— wolfmoonlight

Thanks for the positive response and looking forward to a long standing friendship. I shall closely follow your seeds and articles and benefit from the contents. Good Luck.

— ntq

You all remember cartoons where Scrooge McDuck used to sit on a pile of loot and laugh, right? Well, that's Celestina, except her treasure is her total Awesomeness and she shares it generously with the rest of us. And she doesn't laugh at us for being less awesome. Okay, I guess she's nothing like Scrooge McDuck but she's pretty cool anyway.

— Cash

To one of the neatest people on the Vine and I think one of the most witty and considerate people I have ever run into and now the new Celestina Goddess of Vinestock ! I am proud to be included as a friend to Celestina, one very cool person.

— Tedd Riggs

STATION!!

— The Dude Dean

Okay, Celestina, this comments comes from the cockles of my heart. When is the next drink-off?

— ultimathule

How is it even possible to add anything that has not already been said by someone else here Celestina? Except to say that you are a good and true friend, and I will always keep you in my memory, even though we are separated by different Operating systems.

— Dan Hallo, aka, Zoilus

I think it's about that time for another Newsvine Drink-Off.

— ultimathule

Just checked out and bookmarked http://celestiniosity.com/ it's great! Great work!

— Pete ZaHutt

I just realized the quality of Newsvine drops if you, Celestina, isn't on my watchlist. For our entire time here you have been in my top personal 5 and that Eve rewrite just did it for me. You should be on top of the Leaderboard.

— Benno Hansen

Why does my liver hurt!?

— Miss Dev

She's my favourite reason to drink.

And she was the inspiration for the newsvine drunk's group.

Bravo.

-Dave

— David Mc Girr

Smart, intelligent, attractive and apparently from the heavens.

— Nuri Yalcin

Celestina is my touchstone of common sense, civility and compassion on Newsvine. I get smarter with each of her articles.

— Dwight Overturf

If you haven't seen Celestina's book list be sure to check it out. Some of my favorites are there.

— WebWeasel

Celestina, You are a very smart and informative individual and this world is a much better place because of you. I like the way you see through the smoke screens and touch on what really matters. The way you are able to write and express yourself is a gift; please keep up the good work.

— layback

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