Purrfectplay

A Glorious Mexican Mutt: How a Companion to None Became Our Muse

In 2001 my husband and I arrived in Mexico. We were there to relax on the beach and drink margaritas. Exhausted, we stashed our luggage and headed to the beach for dinner.

Settled in with our first margarita we noticed a dog just outside the ring of light. Thin and nearly hairless, she watched us with her lovely brown eyes. I started throwing her my dinner—way too much for me anyway. The waiter came by and kicked her away. We objected—he looked disgusted.

The next morning she was still on that beach, but now she was hunting for a place to get out of the sun. She was so sunburned and frail. Sitting near by, a sun bird resident mentioned how easy it would be to bring her home. Since neither of us had ever even lived with a dog, it did not seem possible that we were qualified. But by the end of the next day it did not seem possible to just leave her to die either. Rosa did come home with us and shared our life for 9 years.  She was the light of our home and she helped us to evolve. Bringing her home stands out as one of our finest moments and as the most important shared event of our marriage. In November she left us, having contracted a fast moving sarcoma.

But this is not an entry about our grief and loss. It is an entry about joy. Rescuing an animal with no hope and watching it change into a happy dog or cat is an amazing experience. It doesn’t get any better!

Rosa was much luckier than the average Mexican dog. You may have noticed the many sick, malnourished, and injured dogs living on the streets while you were vacationing in Mexico. It seems so hopeless. But there is much we can do. Even a single act on your part can make all the difference.  

You don’t have to watch a dog die and suffer. Bringing home a dog is possible.  Bringing home a dog or cat will be one of the best things you have ever done on vacation. Take it from someone who knows. 

Some tips on how to help Mexican dogs.

Handmade Heaven

Last weekend we exhibited at the Renegade Craft Fair in Wicker Park, Chicago. It was our first time at the Renegade and we were blown out!

The other exhibitors were creative, charming, and super nice. Customers were fun and brought their amazing dogs. For someone like me, a total pet head and a lover of all things handmade, it was an exuberant street fair heaven.

Saturday night when we returned home this marvelous picture was in our in box. Marbles lives with Amanda in Wicker Park.  She was kind enough to let us know how happy Marbles was with his new organic catnip mouse.

I feel as enthused about a purely handmade show like the Renegade as Marbles does about his mouse. Handmade hits me deeply. The connection between the creator and the result is so much richer than with mass production. Even though we make many toys, none of them is mass produced. All of our toys are crafted individually.  We hope they will all be well loved.