| Ask Mr. Seamus Home Pages to Braille and in spirit Mascot Seamus & Bubba |
| Mascot Seamus SCBR Senior Mascot Rainbow Bridge 9/6/03 Still lives within these pages as a ghostwriter - ink slinger, in spirit! |
| RESOURCES |
| * General Links * * Medical Health Links * * Training * * Special Needs Links * * Responsible Dog Ownership * |
| UPDATED 7/3/08 |
| Braille Tales Age 7 |
| Bubba Knows Rainbow Bridge 9/16/06 |
askmrseamus@yahoo.com
| Ask Bubba Knows, an earlier interview by Ms. Braille, all ears! |
| NOISE PHOBIA, hear me know! BRAILLE - Bubba, I understand when you first came to live at the Oceanview Innigan, you were better known as the Phobia King - Chickenhearted and sometimes called plain old chicken poop! BUBBA - True, true, true! Having been impacted and crushed by a moving vehicle and left near dead on the side of the road at about age one, this put the fears of many forthcoming phobias that later in my life I eagerly wished to have overcome. BRAILLE - So sorry to hear of your younger hardships. What were some of the experiences that scared the crap out of you? BUBBA - To say the least Braille, I was a nervous wreck about everything I attempted to do in my life for the first three years. I truly felt like a failure, if there was an emotional dog, I was the target for copping out. I was anxious, had persistent fears and worried, and had developed some irrational, excessive, odd and complicated behaviors. I would sooner had eaten myself to death in a locked room with my head stuffed into a forty pound bags of dog food. Many humans had already given up on me. BRAILLE - It sounds like it was a great thing that you found SCBR and your adopted family worked to help you to overcome your cowardliness. Exactly what were some of your fears and phobias? BUBBA - Space does not permit me to speak of all of them, but I'll try to give you a few examples. 1. ) Had a fifty five gallon barrel stove get caught on my cable runner that chased me to the end of a sixty foot run. It hit the stop and my fifteen foot lead of which I was still attached to flew me ten feet into the air breaking my Lupine safety collar. It was NOT a gentle landing! I feared my own back steps and yard for many weeks. 2. ) It seemed like I was always getting hit in the back legs and butt as I left doorways, especially those walk pads that automatically opened a door. I know they were sneaking up on me! I found it difficult to go in and out. 3. ) While attending my first BRAD at the Grand Opening of a Petco store, the noise inside was overwhelming. One of those metal shelving units fell apart. Nearly having a heart attack, I lunged into a cinder block wall trying to escape. It took more than six months of reassuring that I would be safe to walk in a store. 4. ) Not to mention, I had issues with getting on elevators, being in parking garages, fire trucks, honking horns, trains, mail, trash, FED EX and UPS trucks coming into my neighborhood. Fireworks and thunderstorms set me off. I was timid, yet sensitive to all loud sounds, yes NOISE PHOBIA! BRAILLE - OMG, Bubba how did you ever survive and have success in getting beyond to live in the REAL WORLD another seven years? BUBBA - My Mom worked with my trainer in desensitizing my world. It was no easy task, took two and a half years. At best, I learned to trust that she would keep me safe, yet NOT coddling the worst, but bringing out the best in me. I was made to do the things that I feared worst. There were no drugs or miracle magic, only daily life practicing of what I could do best, basic obedience, plus more experiences. Sound effects Cd's of all kinds became apart of my life, by way of our stereo system, loud and louder. John Philips Sousa marching banding never showed up to get my food and those rumbling thunderstorms became a way of life, as a matter of fact. My Mom changed my view. I no longer had the front living room windows to see or hear the things I feared most. I no longer had to bark or did I have to protect my house. I went off duty, off guard. Those back of the house windows were trauma and drama free. Picture peaceful birds and pleasant views. I began to appreciate the finer things in life. What was past had passed and many wonderful experiences came to me. I was count reconditioned and now balanced. BRAILLE - Wow Bubba, you must of been proud of yourself! What honorable stuff did you do after all this training and what would you want other dogs and people to know? BUBBA - I continued to train in all sort of formats, both private and later public. My Mom made me do stuff that a normal dog would NOT do. As my levels of confidence improved, she enrolled me in therapy dog training classes. The day we passed the test, she knew I had made many miles and markers. Most of my NOISE PHOBIAS were behind me. I was now a public dog allowed in public spaces, nursing homes, schools and loved nothing more then to share a piece of birthday cake at the local library with a room full of children who had been reading to me all summer. Later, I went forward to take the AKC CGC and passed. Then became a tester dog for both of these tests, where other dogs would pass four to six feet near me, never to flinch, but pay attention to my Mom. My words of wisdom to those who fear, fear NOT you can succeed by NOT ever giving up with practice! BRAILLE - One must say, Bubba Knows! EDITOR'S NOTE: Those days of Bubba Knows are well remembered. He came to me as a dream. The whisper of a breeze, the roar of thunder and a splash of rain, as an agent of change and a true friend. He changed my life and become the friend of many during his. Inspired by a spark of lightening and as an inspiration, I still do celebrate his life forever. Shortly after adopting Bubba in July 1999, no monetary value could replace his gifts other then the return of time. Like the pioneer who paved their wares while attending the university of hardknocks, experience was and still is a great teacher and the best. One moves forward, while staying focus on the task at hand. One never loses sight of the values and efforts of what SCBR does as an organization. Our volunteers in numbers and strengths outweigh our weaknesses and imperfections of a few. One may forget the reality of a perfect world and no need for a rescue, however we are not their yet. Many have come to realize this and remain. ONLY are fraction of a few clouded brains and even fewer have come and gone only to fine the grass no greener then here. Martyrs are made to think perfection, perfection is doomed to burn out. Leaders are born far and few and the secret is only a few. I have NOT lost sight to the fact that we do it for the dogs and many more have been placed with success rather then failure. As a volunteer for nine years it says who we are as an organization and we stand by what we do forever. You may not see me. I may be invisible, but know that I am still here after nine years. Like the starfish story, we only except what we can return. For dogs like Braille, Mascot Seamus and Bubba and all the rest, had we not been here, we may not have been enrich by their lives'. No doubt in my mind that dog is man's best friend. |
| Wishing All a Safe & Happy Fourth of July |
| Fourth of July, here in the South means a hot day of at least ninety degrees, a messin' of Fried Chicken, Mac & Cheese, a fixin' of field greens, sweeten' tea and a cement slab for a one hour private fireworks show. |
Seven years ago this fourth of July, Baby
Braille and her sister Dusty found their way
from San Antonino, TX to Second Chance
Boxer at nine weeks of age.
Braille and her sister Dusty found their way
from San Antonino, TX to Second Chance
Boxer at nine weeks of age.
