July 2010
Bigwin Island Canine Culinary What to do with the Family
Cottage?
+ WIN Deerhurst Getaways
Muskoka-Made
Bush
splash
Enter your dog to win the title of...
Canine Idol!
Does your dog have that special twinkle in it’s eye that says “I’m a Star”? Do people stop you on the street to comment on the silky fur, good posture or ‘je ne c’est quoi’ your dog possesses? Now is your chance to show Canada what you’ve known since you picked out the furriest member of your family... your dog is the Canine Idol! Cottage Dog Magazine is running an exciting online competition that will give your pooch a chance to win a cover shoot for the magazine and tons of great pet prizes from our sponsors!
HERE’S HOW TO GET STARTED: Go Online to www.CottageDog.com to sign up, create your pet’s profile and join the Summer Auditions! Auditions start in June and run until September...so register today! Keep track of audition highlights, eliminations and special features by signing up for the weekly E-Newsletter. Watch for the Top 10 Special in the September/October issue of Cottage Dog. If your pooch wins, he or she will be the Cover Dog for the December issue, along with a feature spread, plenty of sponsor-swag and the title of Canine Idol 2010!
THE DOG PARK PHOTO SHOWDOWN Cottage Dog Magazine presents the ultimate fun-slinging competition for your dog and his/her friends: The Dog Park Photo Showdown! So rally your pooch and his or her friends to take on the competition! • Go online to www.CottageDog.ca and set up a profile for your dog. The competition begins June 28th! • Upload pictures, and tell us which Dog Park you belong to – get a team together for more chances to win! • Enter your pooch in a range of fun categories and submit a picture of your dog displaying the qualities that will win over the judges! • Categories include: Best Doggy Smile, Dog/ Owner Look-Alike, Best Dog Costume, Best Action Shot, Shortest Legs, Quirky Habits, Most Misbehaved and over 50 more in total to enter!
Join the Showdown June 28th at www.CottageDog.ca ...Good luck from your friends at Cottage Dog!
Table of
Contents 6 Table for One 9 Timely Tips from the Cottage
Vet for Summertime Defense
6
11 Muskoka Made Bush Spash 14 Golden Reflections 16 Deerhurst: No Dog Days of
18
Summer
18 Gone Cottage:
A City Girl Discovers New Freedom and Old Family History in the North
22 What to do with the Family Cottage?
To Win a Muskoka Getaway for People & Pets www.CottageDog.com
24 Please... Just One More Summer
28 Puparazzi 30 Drawing a Crowd
24
Publisher: K. L. Brooks
A Note from the Publisher... Welcome to the premiere edition of what we hope is the best doggone magazine dedicated to people and pets that you’ve ever experienced. We chose a delightful tongue-in-cheek cover photograph to stylishly launch our introductory issue. We hope you like it as much as we do. Inside you’ll find the perfect recipe for a healthy, relaxed Cottage Dog lifestyle whether you’re having fun in an urban dog park or enjoying your cottage country escape. Grab a beverage and curl up with your pooch while you browse Cottage Dog Magazine. You’ll be entertained, touched and informed. Tell us what you think. This is your magazine. Our writers and contributors include leading lawyers and veterinarians, freelance writers and top notch professional photographers. Our very own Puparazzi photographer, Trish Aleve, will be snooping around to capture canine celebrity images for Cottage Dog’s Celebrity Page. We’ve got games and prizes too. They are all on-line at www.CottageDog.com Audition your dog for Canine Idol and the search for a Cover Dog for the December 2010 issue. Cast your vote and follow the results through our weekly e-newsletter. Dog Park Showdown is a contest to honour the best urban dog park for providing city pups with an off-leash taste of the Cottage Dog lifestyle. Find Buster is the doggie equivalent of “Where’s Waldo?” The lucky contest winners will be showered with prizes and instant celebrity status! Deerhurst Resort and Happy Tails Pet Resort are donating a fabulous People and Pets Getaway; the winning dog park will receive a Plexiglas bus shelter for those less than ideal dog-walking days; Trish is generously donating a Pet Portfolio from Pawsome Photography to the Find Buster winner. We invite you to join our ranks as Cottage Dog Magazine enthusiasts. There are lots of ways to participate: enter an online contest; sign up as a writer; buy a subscription; or advertise with us. We’ve got a spot by the fireside for everyone and their dog who wants a little Cottage Dog in their lifestyle. K. L. Brooks
Editor: Christine Sheppard
Contributing Writers: Jason McLeod DVM Dale Peacock Michael Yale Anne White Jonathan Wiebe Shawn Pudsey LL.B. Vince Grittani Christine Sheppard
Photo Credits: Trish Aleve Erin Monett Kelly Holinshead (Cover)
Layout Artist: Craig Belanger
Ad inquiries: Ron Bester- Manager, Print Media Tel: 416-490-6000 ext. 6017 Cell: 416-312-9590 rbester@generalprinters.ca
Printer: General Printers 1001 Ritson Rd South Oshawa, ON L1H 4G5 www.generalprinters.ca
Publisher Contact: Cottage Dog Publications Box 311, Huntsville, ON P1H 2J3
Publication Agreement #: 42035032 To subscribe visit us online at: www.CottageDog.ca or send $24.99 (CDN) to Cottage Dog Publications Box 311, Huntsville, ON P1H 2J3 Reproduction of any part of this publication without expressed written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.
Photography by Kelly Holinshead
TABLE FOR ONE
by CHOWhound
Fine Dining for a Cottage Dog! A beautiful blonde sits daintily in front of a beautifully presented meal on a table set for one. Lake of Bays shimmers in the background. Over her shoulder, a handsome man in chef whites waits for her to take the first bite. She quivers slightly in anticipation but her impeccable manners cause her to wait for permission to begin the exquisitely prepared meal. Bigwin Island’s Executive Chef, Philip Leach, brought a plethora of globally gathered culinary skills to Bigwin Island Golf Course five years ago. As Executive Chef, he established the club as one of the finest eating establishments in Muskoka. Fine dining coupled with a stellar service philosophy gives Bigwin a reputation for an extraordinary dining experience. Chef Philip likes to utilize fresh products from local suppliers. His simple but effective philosophy starts with the finest ingredients to guarantee freshness and quality. An uncomplicated approach, superior ingredients, preparation innovation and a fusion of flavours is his recipe for success in the kitchen. - 6 - CottageDog - July 2010
Leach brought his cooking skill set and philosophy to preparing a feast fit for a canine queen. He explains, “I really love dogs. I enjoyed developing the recipes and menu to give Zoe a nutritionally sound and visually appealing multi-course dinner.” The meatloaf entrée of blade steak and beef heart nestled on a fragrant puddle of vegetable coulis could tempt human taste buds. The pretty presentation with molded pureed vegetables arranged around the perimeter of the plate makes it look almost too good to eat. Chef Philip explained, “The only difference between Zoe’s meal and one prepared for human guests is in the lack of seasonings. Dogs become dehydrated when they ingest certain spices.” Like any good meal, Zoe’s dinner concluded with a tasty confection garnished with fresh blueberries and blackberries. The Whole Wheat with Peanut Butter & Apple Biscuit is shaped like a bone to make it all the more appealing to its canine diner. Even though Zoe relished the main course she had no problem enjoying dessert. Leach chuckles. “Did you see her chow down? I think she enjoyed it a great deal! You could see the pleasure written on her face.” As she nuzzled Leach’s hand Zoe showed that she appreciated all of the effort taken by her friend and personal chef. Photography by Kelly Holinshead
Sadly, Leach lost his aged German Shepherd this past winter so he enjoys hanging out on the island with Zoe when he has a bit of free time, which he admits is in short supply. The chef has a Maltese Poodle named Sandi that goes by the nickname ‘Little’ to distinguish her from her ‘Big’ brother when he was alive. The chef laughs, “Let’s just say that Little’s palate isn’t as discerning as Zoe’s nor is she as well-behaved,” to explain why his dog isn’t the star of the photo shoot. Zoe is an almost two year old Yellow Lab. Her owner and trainer is a mechanic who lives and works at Bigwin, so Zoe is a full time Islander too. Leach calls her, “almost another member of the staff.” He admires the diligence that has resulted in such a well trained dog but adds that Zoe’s natural inclination is to please and some of the credit should go to her own sweet nature. Once billed as North America’s largest and most luxurious summer resort, Bigwin opened its doors in 1920. It was the resort of choice for the rich and famous, where guests congregated in the Grand Hall and the Rotunda with its huge stone fireplaces and large open verandahs. The biggest attraction for those early discerning guests was the fine dining and the abundance of summer recreational pursuits that were set against the backdrop of the rugged beauty of Lake of Bays.
Photography by Kelly Holinshead
The golden era for Bigwin Inn started to fade in 1942 with the death of the founder. It languished for almost four
World Cuisine
Specializing in Indian, Thai & North American Dishes
Deck Overlooking the Water Muskoka’s only Authentic Tandoori Oven
Best Indian Curry in Muskoka Average Lunch Entree $13.95 & Dinner Entree $21.95
decades until 1986 when developer Alan Peters acquired the land and began to dream about creating an intimate island community with services and amenities for families who would share his love of this Muskoka paradise. Almost a century after the Inn first opened, visitors to the island can play on a sensational new golf course, savour a fine meal, celebrate a wedding or make Bigwin Island their all-season resort home. Bigwin’s glory days have been resurrected. Judging by the excitement on the golf course, the bustle in the dining room and Zoe’s wagging tail, the property’s re-birth is good news indeed for visitors and for all of those who live
50 Main Street East, Downtown Huntsville Call 705-788-5150 for Reservations
and work on this iconic Lake of Bays island paradise. CottageDog - July 2010 - 7 -
Appetizer Chicken livers and CousCous
Entrée
Blade Steak and Beef Heart Meat Loaf With Brown Rice, Pureed Broccoli and Carrots
Dessert Whole Wheat, Peanut Butter and Apple Biscuit (no coffee or tea after this meal)
Meat Loaf Recipe (Yield 4 big dogs)
1 lbs Ground Blade Steak 1 lbs Ground Beef Heart 3 cups Brown Rice 6 – 7 Cups Water - Combine Ingredients into a large pot and simmer for 1 hour. 1/2 cup Olive Oil 500ml no fat Yogurt 250ml no fat Cottage Cheese 1 cup Brewer’s Yeast 1 Cup Flax Seed Meal 1 Cup Wheat Germ 1 Cup Wheat Bran - Combine Ingredients and Bake in the oven at 350˚F for 40 minutes in a lasagna pan. - Allow cooling before slicing, and serve with pureed carrots and Broccoli.
Biscuit Recipe 2-3/4 cups whole wheat flour 1/2 cup powdered milk 1 teaspoon salt 1 egg 6 tablespoons vegetable oil 8 - 10 tablespoons water - Combine Ingredients into Bowl until well mixed. Knead mixture for 2 minutes. - Roll out mixture to ¾ of an inch and cut out into desired shapes. Place on Baking sheet with parchment paper and bake in a pre-heated oven at 350˚F for 20 minutes. - I like to stack two biscuits with peanut butter and apple puree.
Timely Tips from the Cottage Dog Vet for Summertime Defense
Written by Dr. Jason McLeod, DVM
As the spring season unfolds in beautiful Muskoka, we are reminded of a few things pet owners and their four-legged companions need to keep in mind. With all the excitement that comes with entering cottage country at this time of year, also comes the dreaded black fly! Although not a carrier of any concerning diseases, these pesky little critters can, and will, feast on your pet at every opportunity. It is not uncommon for dogs to present to a local Veterinarian with an anaphylactic reaction (hives) from the numerous bites that can occur in a short period of time. Although relatively easy to treat in most circumstances, anaphylactic reactions can be life threatening and all pets suffering from such deserve medical attention. Consider using only pet-approved, non-DEET containing insect deterrents such as Muskoka Bushsplash Spray. Ideally try to keep your pet from being outside at peak times for black fly activity (duskX and dawn), 7 5/8� 3 3/8� - 1/3especially page adif they are unsupervised, as anaphylactic reactions can occur very quickly. On the insect front, one must also recall the concerns that come with mosquitoes and the Heartworm they may carry. Although it is still common for people to think that Heartworm disease is not prevalent in Ontario, some regions, including Muskoka, do have Heartworm. Potentially exposing your dog to mosquitoes without proper Heartworm prevention is a risk not worth taking. All it takes is one mosquito bite and your dog can become silently infected. Porcupines are often cast in an egregious light as the attacker of dogs. In fact, these slow and gentle creatures will do anything NOT to come in contact with your pet! Porcupines are extremely short-sighted and slow moving and, in almost all situations, are surprised by the dog that either gets too close out of curiosity or wishes to take a chomp out of them. Their evolutionary advance is an effective body armor of quills- modified hairs that, contrary to popular belief, CityDogPrintAd_MKB_FINALb.pdf
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do not contain any toxin or “shoot” out at will when threatened. If your dog is unlucky enough to have an encounter with a porcupine (and you are unlucky enough to be dealing with such in the middle of the night), do NOT cut the quills! People have long believed by cutting the quills gas is released which prevents them from entering their pet’s body. This is simply not true, and in most cases when the quills are cut short they will migrate into your pet much more quickly. Although most encounters with a porcupine simply end with weary-eyed owners and a dog with a bruised ego, some situations can be life threatening. If quills enter into the chest or neck area, or even joints, they can be especially difficult to deal with and require immediate veterinary attention. If the summer season shapes up as it is expected to, consider as well safety for your pet from the heat of the mid-day sun. Heat stroke can occur in pets, especially those within vehicles, very rapidly and is difficult to treat if not caught early. Never leave your pet unattended in a vehicle on a hot sunny day. And don’t forget, some pets can suffer from sunburn just like their human counterparts. Short-haired and light-haired pets often get sun burn and don’t realize it while frolicking on the dock. Use children’s waterproof sunscreen on areas such as the top of the nose and ear tips or any other lightly pigmented area. Always allow pets the ability to seek shade at will and try to prevent excessive exercise at peak sunlight hours. When in the boat, consider using an approved pet life preserver or PFD (personal floatation device). Don’t assume because your dog can swim for hours around the dock that it will be fine out on the open water. The same goes for you!
FEATURED BIO
DR. JASON MCLEOD
Dr. Jason McLeod is a small animal veterinarian and surgeon who resides in Muskoka. He is the owner of Algonquin Animal Hospital in Huntsville and Bracebridge Animal Hospital in Bracebridge. A graduate of the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College, Jason shares his love of life in Muskoka with his wife Megan, young son Marshall and a menagerie of pets that rule the house, including two dogs and 4 cats. Please see algonquinanimalhospital.org or bracebridgeanimalhospital.org for more information.
Enjoy this start to the summer season and stay safe with your 4-legged companions!
SERVICES INCLUDE Medicine • Surgery • Laser Surgery • Wellness/Early Detection Screening Therapy Laser & Rehabilitation • Nutrition Advice & Counseling Digital Radiology (X-RAYS) • Dentistry & Dental X-Rays NEW PATIENTS WELCOME
TWO GREAT LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU!
HUNTSVILLE 869 Hwy. #60 • (705) 789-5181 algonquinanimalhospital.org
BRACEBRIDGE 17 Ball’s Drive • (705) 645-5090 bracebridgeanimalhospital.org
Photography by Erin Monett
Muskoka Made Bush Splash by Dale Peacock, Freelancer
Muskoka Woodlands Bush Splash has been cottage country’s outdoor living skin recipe for both people and pets since 1996. However, long before the twentieth century, First Nations people and early settlers of Muskoka knew the secret to surviving outdoors in the moist and humid environment of the area’s many lakes, waterways and dense woodlands. Our forefathers lathered on skin salves rich in protein fats from bears and beavers mixed with fermented alcohol based liquids before they stepped outdoors to enjoy the wilderness. The skin recipe worked to keep them comfortable, but being in close quarters may not have been such a treat; that early concoction would have been quite unpleasantly pungent. While the beauty of our natural environment helped to transform Muskoka into Canada’s cottage country capitol, we have to admit that things are not all rosy all the time, especially in the outdoors in spring and summer. Ouch! Every spring optimists with a sense of humour do their best to make the most of a bad situation by launching “Black Fly Festivals” in faux celebration of something that many consider to be the bane of existence in cottage country. The festivals are concrete reminders that we have more ominous beasties to combat in our daily lives than black bears and wolves. At least you can see those critters coming! Muskoka Woodlands Bush Splash to the rescue! The product uses a more pleasant fatty base in its formula than our early forbearers were able to utilize. The soya based, protein-rich complex mixed with citrus oils and juices and a vanilla extract results in a pleasant, almost nutty chocolate smell. It’s a vast improvement over ancient remedies and is guaranteed to make users welcome at family gatherings and in any close encounters of the personal kind. However, based on Health Canada PMRA (Pest Management Regulatory Agency) regulations, a product cannot label or market its product with repellency claims or use words such as insect, bug or bite, without its PMRA registration number. And there is the rub: it cannot get a PMRA number in order to make those claims on its packaging or advertising unless it has a registered controllable active. As an ‘all food’ ingredients recipe Muskoka Woodlands Bush Splash is unable to meet PMRA’s criteria as having a controllable active. Its entire recipe would need to be first registered as the controllable active, with its location and sources also registered. Since food grade products come from all manner of sources, it cannot meet Health Canada’s controlled substance specifications, and therefore the product remains without a PMRA number. The frustration for the manufacturer of Muskoka Woodlands Bush Splash is that although the product passed its repellency test at 95.7% against DEET based products, it had to be re-identified as a skin product and use wording exempt under PMRA.
CottageDog - July 2010 - 11 -
Even then the product - which read No DEET, Non Pesticide - had to be pulled off shelves and re-labeled due to a competitor complaint. But owner Lisa Brooks hasn’t lost her sense of humour. She says wryly, “A PMRA agent once told me that if a man’s tie had a mosquito design it would fall under PMRA authority.” She adds, “I think he was joking but I am not sure!” It is unfortunate that this all-natural product is so hamstrung given the concerns about DEET, which is in many insect repellants that do have a PMRA number. The Ontario Ministry of Health approves DEET but has these warnings on its web site: When using repellent containing DEET: * Use federally registered insect repellents such as products containing DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide). * Apply repellent sparingly on exposed skin or on top of clothing. * Do not use under clothing. * The repellent doesn’t have to be applied heavily to be effective – a light coating will do. * The concentration of DEET should be no greater than 30 per cent for adults and no greater than 10 per cent for children. * DEET-containing repellents are not to be used on children under 6 months of age. * Use mosquito netting for babies and toddlers in cribs and strollers. * Use only when needed and follow label directions carefully including restrictions for use on young children and maximum number of applications per day. For many parents and pet owners, it’s not exactly reassuring. They might prefer to use a less controversial product but it’s hard to select Muskoka Woodlands Bush Splash because it is so restricted in the claims it can make. Dr. Karen Barnes, DVM and co-owner of North Bay Animal Hospital said, “I use Bush Splash personally and on my pets and we sell it through our veterinarian clinic.” She adds, “We find that most pet owners are very happy with it. It has a nice scent, and it is both effective and well-tolerated by people and pets.” She continues, “We used to recommend Skin-So-Soft by Avon but we find Bush Splash to be much more effective.” Dr. Barnes earned a degree in Wildlife Biology then graduated from Ontario Veterinarian College in 1989. She worked in practices in Thunder Bay and North Bay launching North Bay Animal Hospital in 1997. In her limited spare time she likes activities like gardening, horseback riding, reading, travelling and spending time with her husband, daughter and their pets. When she’s enjoying the great outdoors, Bush Splash helps to make it more enjoyable. Every spring, the head of a university entomology department is on the evening news telling us that the bugs are now out (as if we needed a reminder) and that the only effective repellent to safely protect our families is a DEET based product. Maybe it’s not really conspiracy minded to wonder why respected institutions continue to support DEET based products, which are manufactured by huge pharmaceutical companies. It’s a point to ponder.
Give your family a break from the pressures of being a family these days. We offer plenty of pontoon, deck and fishing boats to help you all unwind.
Call 800.395.8858 or go to princecraft.com to find your nearest dealer.
Princecraft Boats Inc., a Brunswick Company
- 12 - CottageDog - July 2010
2010 Princecraft ad - 2 5/8’’ X 10’’ (bleed : 1/8’’)
Two years ago, Muskoka Woodlands Bush Splash became even more family friendly by converting its skin recipe to over 97% certified organic ingredients. Parents and pet lovers enjoy the fact that it’s 100% edible -- albeit not very tasty. The bad taste means that kids and pets are unlikely to ingest enough to result in upset tummies and diarrhea. Rich in natural Vitamin E, omega 3 essential fatty acids, and vitamins A, C and D it not only feels good to the skin, it is good for the skin of the entire family whether they are old, young or the family pet. Local Veterinarian, Jason McLeod also weighs in, “I use it on my old dog because he refuses to come inside in even the worst of black fly times and is no longer mobile and flexible enough to try and ward them off.” On its effectiveness, he also adds “He used to get literally hundreds of bites on his belly after a few hours outside and for the past few years he gets almost no bites.” Muskoka Woodlands Bush Splash conditions the skin and regular application builds a natural resistance to the ongoing attack that exposed skin encounters in cottage country. An added benefit is soft and supple skin that smells wonderful. Every man, woman, child and family pet can relax outdoors because when you venture outside, Bush Splash has you covered!
FEATURED BIO DALE PEACOCK
Following a successful corporate career, a stint of global volunteerism and the acquisition of a law and justice degree at age 50, Dale embarked on a writing career armed with the fanciful idea that a living could be made as a freelancer. To her own great surprise, she was right. The proof lies in hundreds of published works on almost any topic but favourites include travel, humour & satire, pets, the environment and entrepreneurship. Having re-invented herself half a dozen times, Dale doesn’t rule anything out. Her time is divided equally between Huntsville, Ontario and winters spent near Tampa, Florida with Jim whom she married after 25 years of unwedded bliss. Two grown kids and two geriatric cats receive double doses of love and attention when she’s at home in Canada.
GOLDEN REFLECTIONS By Michael Yale with excerpts from Vargus ~ Published by Inclusion Press, 2009
My Master’s Secrets When I moved up to Huntsville in 1986 as the new owner of the pet shop, it was a culmination of a lifelong search for a bit of the country in which to experience a better life with my guide dog. Throughout all my life, both in California and in Canada, I have always sought out country refuges, visiting different cottages every summer so that my guide dog could have a bit of real freedom. Not that the dog never had freedom during the remainder of the year; I have always found opportunities to allow him or her to run in the woods, a dip in the river, or both. The Guide Dog schools do not approve of blind dog handlers giving the dogs too much freedom, but I have always believed that, as long as my dog works for me when I require it, he or she is free to be a dog the rest of the time—free to develop a personality and to enjoy the good things in life—people, good food and freedom itself. I wrote No Dogs Allowed, my first book, after a trip to Europe with my then wife and our two guide dogs. It tells the stories of our travels and tribulations, breaking new ground for guide dog teams to come, before there were laws to protect our
Photography by Kelly Holinshead
access to public places. The new book, Golden Reflections, gives that same dog of mine, Vargus, a chance to tell his entire life story, including the 11 years spent on the other end of the harness in my left hand. Although it was written over 20 years ago, it was only published last year. This time I was determined that the book be accessible to everyone, and therefore I arranged for it to be released both in print and on CD as an audio book, read by DON HARRON (Charlie Farquharson), recorded and Edited by Paul Mills at the Millstream, Toronto, Canada. It was an honour to have Don Harron be a part of the project, and he enjoyed the experience immensely, as you can hear in his recording.
To Win a Muskoka Getaway for People & Pets
www.CottageDog.com
Vargus lived most of his life in the city of Toronto, but he had his opportunities for freedom, some planned, and others, like the little excerpt below, not planned at all!
Excerpt from Golden Reflections: “On this particular day, we had come to another part of the Island called Hanlon’s Point. We rarely came here so there was much with which to occupy myself. When I finally looked up, Mike and his friends had disappeared from view. I ran in several directions at once but could neither see them nor find their scents. As it was still early in the afternoon, I knew Mike would not take the boat for Toronto for some hours yet, so I dawdled as I slowly sniffed my way towards the ferry docks. I have to admit that I quite enjoyed wandering on my own, for a change. Guide dogs are rarely left entirely alone. Once in a great while I am left an hour or two at home, when Mike goes somewhere with friends. At such times, I am still expected to be on my best behaviour. But being outdoors alone almost never happens. I was not aware that Mike and the others were very worried about me. They had searched for me for many minutes without success. At last, they went to the police station on Centre Island and filed a missing dog report. An officer was dispatched by car to look for me. I had seen a car or two go by but I avoided them and stayed near the water. Late in the afternoon, in desperation, Mike and the others decided to go home to Toronto and leave me behind; the police were to call him when I was finally found. As Mike and his friends approached the docks, they found me sitting by the gate. Our reunion was joyful, as if we had been separated for months. A man nearby told Mike that I had come trotting up to the gate an hour before. I had sat there, patiently waiting. “Two boats came and went,” the man said, “and your dog just sat there watching all those people coming and going. He never moved. I knew he must be waiting for someone. You’ve got a mighty smart dog, I’d say.” Of course I had been waiting by the gate. Where else? I knew that Mike always came this way to go home, eventually. Rather than wandering about and possibly missing them, I came straight to the docks until they made their appearance. There had been no need to worry. But I was grateful for the praise and the fuss anyway.”
FEATURED BIO
MICHAEL YALE
“Beaverland is a hidden gem in Ontario’s north.... I found a piece of paradise on the Marten River” ~ Michael Yale
Mike was born in Hollywood, California in 1944 and was blinded in 1949 by an explosion. He spent most of his child-
Marten River, Ontario
hood in and out of hospitals for facial skin grafts, yet attended
www.beaverland.on.ca
public school, was a concert pianist until the age of 17 and attended university at UC Berkeley in the mid 60’s, majoring in Journalism. Mike moved to Toronto in 1968 to attend Law School and has over the years had diverse work history, such as owning and working on a dairy farm, working as an investigator for the Canadian and the Ontario Human Rights Commissions, a community organizer in the blind and disability movements,
Sandy Beach
and a variety of public speaking engagements primarily related
Pets welcome
to human rights. Mike moved to Huntsville in 1986 where he
Family Friendly Atmosphere
purchased and operated a pet shop. He has owned five dog guides since the age of 17, all of which have been golden retrievers. He enjoys travel and writing merging these two passions
Housekeeping Cottage Resort Handicap Accessible cottages
in his published works and his many stories as a regular contribu-
Excellent Fishing & Boating
tor in Cottage Dog Magazine!
Pesticide-free Greenspace Rest, Read, Relax, Recharge
No
Dog Days ofSummer Here
Head to Deerhurst Resort for a Real Muskoka Stay You can keep travel time in check and beat the heat this summer with a getaway to Muskoka’s historic and renowned Deerhurst Resort. From stretches of sandy beaches, to prominent stars on the resort stage- Muskoka’s longtime favourite retreat aims to provide something for everyone. With summer arriving, it is the perfect time to plan a family gettogether or a couple’s weekend escape. It’s all only two hours and two turns from Toronto, which means no airport line-ups or map-reading required. Better still, you won’t have to leave your pet at home or send them to Grandma’s for the week! Deerhurst is just minutes from Huntsville’s Happy Tails Pet Resort & Camp. “We started our unique partnership with Happy Tails back in spring 2006,” says Deerhurst Director of Sales & Marketing Clee Varon. Deerhurst’s range of accommodations and 780 acre grounds with golf courses doesn’t fit for pets and other guests. “So for us working with Happy Tails is the perfect way to give both house pets and their owners a break, “says Varon. When she’s away from Huntsville on business, Varon’s own dog stays at Happy Tails, so she’s a fan as well as a regular customer. “Pets and people both come to Muskoka to play outdoors. Both Happy Tails and Deerhurst are all about that easy adventure.”
WETANDWILD! Deerhurst’s 780 acres wrap around the sparkling Peninsula Lake waterfront, providing the perfect northern backdrop for relaxation and infinite water activity. Just in time for Canada Day, that appealing landscape of deck chairs, canoes, fishing charters and EZ Cat boat rentals will expand with water ski school and the popular inflatable Splash Zone- featuring everything from bouncing trampolines to climbing walls, slides and a chance to walk the plank pirate-style! “Our water world has been designed with specific areas for both kids and grown ups,” confirms Deerhurst Director of Sports Mark O’Dell. “Because when it’s hot, everybody just wants to jump in.” This summer Deerhurst is also extending its four-wheeling fun, adding rock buggy vehicles fueled by bio-diesel recycled from the resort’s used cooking oil. At the resort’s on-site stables a different kind of “horsepower” is showcased in trail rides and pony experiences especially for the kids. - 16 - CottageDog - July 2010
GOLFANDGAMESGALORE In 2007, Condé Nast Traveler magazine voted Deerhurst Ontario’s only destination in their “Top 100 Golf Resorts” worldwide. Continuing the belief that the family that ‘plays together stays together’, the resort allows kids to play free at its picturesque Deerhurst Lakeside golf course, giving adults a chance to share their love of the game with their children. The resort has a range of stay & play deals for families and a fullfledged academy with sessions for all ages, including a One Day Golf School. But if golfing isn’t the interest for all members of your family, there are many other creative and fun options to satisfy any penchant for entertainment! In addition a full program of resort activities, kids can spend an afternoon crafting with ‘Big Beads’, playing a variety of sports, swimming in the resort pool and playing games in the Indoor Sports Complex. And from July 16 to 18, Deerhurst is putting together a play date for adults; a weekend away for the ‘Big Kids’! The second Thrill of the Grill barbeque event and complete getaway package features a full gourmet marketplace plus workshops in everything from making marinades and grill maintenance, to matching beers & cheeses, and cooking the perfect ribs. The weekend comes to a close with an elegant beach dinner with the host celebrity chef and cookbook author Ted Reader. More information about this event can be found on the resort website: deerhurstresort.com/summerfest, and for all those attending, make sure you save some juicy rib bones for your wide-eyed pet! There’s plenty to do and discover in Muskoka, and Deerhurst Resort continues to reenergize their unique history, providing comfort and adventure for any and all travelers! Their new partnership with Happy Tails allows for the four-legged family members to have a vacation this summer too. A ‘Fun for the whole family’ holiday means pets included!
POP ROCKS If Shania Twain can tout the Deerhurst stage as her first ‘big break’…it’s safe to say there is talent abundant on display at the resort! Deerhurst’s live stage production is back from its spring hiatus, bigger and better than ever. You can catch the countdown of pop music’s greatest hits from the 1950s to today. Decades 2010 presents current chart-toppers such as Pink, Taylor Swift and John Mayer as well as paying some very special superstar tributes. From opening number to closing act, Deerhurst’s latest show is specifically designed so everyone from baby boomers, to the “millennials” born after 1980, can find their groove and have a fun night together.
Toll Free: 1-800-461-4393 Local: 705-789-6411 Website: deerhurstresort.com
To Win a Muskoka Getaway for People & Pets www.CottageDog.com CottageDog - July 2010 - 17 -
Gone Cottage
A City Girl Discovers New Freedom and Old Family History in the North.
by Dale Peacock, Freelancer
If love of place can be inherited, then that is definitely the origin of Christine Leachman’s love affair with Muskoka. Christine’s father Gayle started coming to the Day family’s Fairy Lake cottage in 1940 when he was just eight years old. She fondly recounts, “My father spent so much time with the Day’s after his own father died that the youngest son grew up thinking my father was a fifth brother!” In the late 1960s Gayle traded his surveying skills for a lake-side lot on his beloved Fairy Lake. He made the deal with the Holinsheads, a pioneer family who settled in Huntsville a year before Confederation, when they were severing lots off the original homestead. When Christine’s mother Margot came into the picture the young couple bought an adjoining second lot, paying all of Margot’s annual salary to do so. Christine says, “The cottage, which is very modest by today’s standards, was built in March of 1970. My parents found the plan in the Star Weekly newspaper, which featured a house/cottage plan each week. Local builder Charlie West was ready to retire but when he saw the plan my parents had chosen, he wanted to be the one to build it. He put the exterior of the cottage up, and my father finished the rest.” Both of Christine’s parents were teachers in southwestern Ontario who spent idyllic summers by the lake that continued when their children Stuart and then Christine were born. Christine remembers her summers as magical. She says, “I never took it for granted the way you might if you lived here full time.”
Photography by Kelly Holinshead
Christine went away to university and then college and she and her brother continued to spend their summers at the cottage, working during summer vacations. She wasn’t the only one who was deeply affected by a childhood spent driving north every weekend; her brother Stuart and his wife now live a few miles from the cottage with their first child while awaiting the arrival of a new baby. Margot spends summers at the family cottage just as she always did and may well move to Huntsville when she is ready.
- 18 - CottageDog - July 2010
Having completed her education, Christine settled into a job in the city. She loved it. However, she says, “I commuted two to three hours every day and worked long hours. My job became my life.” Christine’s father passed way on October 15, 2002. Christine muses, “It was right after I had finished school, and had started working in the real world. The combination definitely fuelled my desire to live in Muskoka, and it was probably the reason I drove back and forth on weekends with what seemed like the rest of southern Ontario!” After five years of what she describes as “self-imposed madness”, she decided that she wanted more from life. Pensively, Christine explains, “I don’t know why, but I just felt that it wasn’t being true to my values to live for work. I decided to work to live instead”. She adds, “I wanted to have a life and I really wanted to honour the love that my dad had for Muskoka.” She credits her parents with instilling an appreciation for nature and the environment in their children. They dreamed of someday moving to the cottage full time but that never happened and with Gayle’s death that dream would be left to the next generation to fulfill. Christine moved to the Huntsville cottage full time in 2007 and took her faithful bull mastiff, McGuire, with her. She affectionately calls him a “big old couch potato” whose disposition made him perfect for a less active urban life. He looked fierce but was really a gentle giant.
The day after McGuire’s death, Christine’s life took on an interesting twist. A neighbour came by with flowers for McGuire’s grave. As they stood there, they saw a skinny Walker Hound come out of the bush. He was skittish and, even though Christine was preoccupied by grief, she decided that if the dog came back she would feed him. The memory makes her laugh: “He came back. And I told him right there, I cannot keep you!” However, her kind heart led her to put a blanket just inside the door of her open closet, “just for a few days.” Then, true to her resolve she took the skinny stray to the Huntsville Animal Shelter, returning almost every day to exercise him. The shelter staff gave him the name Serge and estimated his age at six years. Although Christine knew that she needed time before she even thought about getting another dog, she still felt that he was her responsibility. For six months and through two failed adoptions, Christine walked Serge and other shelter dogs on a regular basis. She says, “Each time he was adopted, I psyched myself up by telling myself that I should be happy that he had a home and that it was time for me to let him go. Then he was returned yet again. I finally had to think that maybe I was meant to give him a home.” Christine says, “It wasn’t exactly ‘a sign’ but I did feel that if I dismissed this opportunity with Serge then I was ignoring the very signals that inspired me to move to Muskoka.” She adds, “I feel that he came into my life for a reason even if I don’t know
Photography by Kelly Holinshead
Christine’s quality of life improved dramatically once she moved, but she still hadn’t quite learned her lesson. True to form, she took on too much with her new job in Muskoka. She admits, “I did it to myself.” In time, she switched to a job with regular hours that allowed her time with family, friends and McGuire who was getting old and suffered from a heart condition.
Sadly, McGuire had to be put down not long after they moved and Christine sorrowfully buried him in a copse of trees near the front porch.
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She opted to keep his shelter name because as she says, “I think he’s been through enough.” While uncertain whether Serge was an abused dog, Christine is fairly sure that he wasn’t treated with kindness either. The black, tan and white hound with the floppy ears and soulful eyes is gentle but generally nervous around men. She adds, “And if he hears a gunshot he almost goes through the roof.” Serge’s safe zone is the open closet in Christine’s bedroom where he spent his first night. He retreats there if stressed. Serge’s origins aren’t known so he could be from Muskoka or possibly a city dog that someone brought north on a hunting trip. Christine says, “He needs lots of exercise so he keeps me active.” She adds, “I get pulled through parts of the bush that I haven’t explored since I was a kid and he really helps me to recapture that part of myself.” In describing her dog McGuire, she says, “I got him as a puppy and my feelings for him were almost like a mother’s love.” She continues, “I love Serge but it is different with an adult dog. I look at him as a wonderful companion.” She says, “Serge loves the company of other dogs more than any dog I’ve ever seen!” It may sound like simple baying to anyone else but Christine proudly reports, “He serenades them as a greeting. It’s his special way of saying hello.” Christine may not know where Serge came from but he certainly acts like a Muskoka dog. He loves the mud, the lake and the bush.
There is no doubt that Christine is a Muskokan now. She states firmly with no hesitation, “I am here to stay. This is my home.” Judging by the affectionate gaze she casts over Serge, the rustic cottage perched on a hill above Fairy Lake, it is his forever home too. Photography by Kelly Holinshead
what that is.” So she became the third and final adoptive home for the rangy hound in the autumn of 2008.
by Shawn Pudsey LL.B.
Ah, the family cottage. For some, it’s a principal residence, a retirement dream, or a get-away from the city and a connection to the most spectacular of Canadian places. In all cases of real Muskokans, the heart of a family typically resides in the cottage. Feelings run high.
where I decided that I had to become involved with politics or forever shut my mouth. The cottage has watched over family and friends on the dock on warm summer days, and over fewer (but much braver) friends playing golf in the snow in February.
My family’s roots to our Muskoka cottage reach back to the end of the Great Depression and continue to this day. My Mum and Dad moved in permanently and winterized the cottage in the 1970s and added what we call “the new part”. I took the bus to the local public school, except when I was bullied. Then I walked. I bicycled through pitch black at four in the morning to my $2.35 an hour job at the bakery. I pedaled as fast as I could to avoid the bears that were lying in wait.
My brothers and sister have their own memories of the cottage. One brother took a chainsaw cut to his leg while helping build “the new part”. He is still attached to the place. As a lawyer, I see many cottage owners with the same emotional tie to their cottage. And so we arrive at the $64,000 question. “What do we do with the cottage once we’re gone?” The answer is surprisingly simple.
It’s easy to think that the fairest choice would be to give the house to all the siblings together. Very considerate of you. But consider this. After you are gone, whenever that day may come, will there be enough money to pay the mortgage, the capital gains tax and the probate fees? Do you know what these figures are? Can everyone pay the oil bills, property taxes, electricity? Who rakes the lawn, who shovels the snow? What happens when one sibling TRUST ONLY THE ORIGINAL WITH THE SAFETY OF YOUR PET wants out of the deal, or dies but the others The only containment system granted The best warranty, the best guarantee, can’t afford to buy him or her out? What if the OSPCA seal of approval the best value one sibling smokes like a chimney and the Consumers Digest Best Buy Award Fraction of the cost of traditional fencing & 100% guaranteed Highly trained team of professionals others don’t? Headache. Headache. Headto assist you for a lifetime Specializing in big dogs, small dogs, ache. tough dogs, sensitive dogs & cats! The most advanced, safest digital technology The cottage is where I learned of my father’s death. It was where I helped my mother in her final days. It was
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The answer is counter-intuitive. If the siblings are as happy as the Partridge Family, then instruct the executor to give the
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try to make decisions “from the grave”. This is a mistake. There are parts of your life that you can control and parts that are beyond your control. Within your control, you could get life insurance to pay out the mortgage or taxes (get the kids to pay!). Give the cottage to the kids while you are alive, but part of the deal is that you live there until you die (lots of problems with this). Set up a trust. Create a corporation. LAKE OF BAYS $2,795,000 Spectacular new build, 225' frontage, 2+ acres, 2-slip boathouse, 4,100 sq. ft, 5 bdrms, 4 baths & main flr master suite. Chef’s dream kitchen, Muskoka rm + amazing ‘outdoor kitchen’. Lwr lvl walk-out.
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The concept is simple but the delivery is complex. You will be shocked to read that this is not legal advice, and is subject to so many exceptions that you cannot possibly rely on this advice when you decide to buy a will kit and do it Timber yourself.LAKE The piece of advice OF biggest BAYS $1,195,000 Gorgeous vacationI do home,have LAKE VERNON BEAUTY $1,295,000 Gorgeous 235' frontage, & spectacular lake views. Frame, 215' frontage, southern exposure, acres ofcottage is this.2.77Your may south be exposure your largest asset. See a privacy & spectacular views. 6 bdrms, 4 baths, 3,722 sq. ft, 4+ bdrms, 3 baths, 3,800 sq. ft, smooth rock shoreline & lawyer. Failing to make a decision about the cottage is a Muskoka rm, great decks, dock & hot tub. Detached garage almost 2 acres of privacy. Come discover this gem! w/living quarters. decision that will cost your family in money and in heartache. Decide to decide. Right now.
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siblings one year from the date of your unfortunate demise to come up with a solution that works for them. If they can’t agree within a year, then the executor sells LAKE OF BAYS $949,000 Spectacularthe southern views in LAKE BAYS children $929,000 Lovely 4 bdrm, 2 bath BC cedar the house and divides proceeds. LetOFthe a desirable area. 345 ft of sandy shoreline & 11 acres to Panabode cottage offers a private & peaceful setting with grapple with who can afford to pay for what, andNew who build your own personal family compound. 2 separately amazing lake views. master suite add’n, sun deck over deeded lots with easy year round access. out there forwaterfront bunkie & great dock. Incl. all appl’s & most does what. Is there advice these situations? furnishings. Sure there is. Ask me!
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of seventeen years are proud parents to Lucy, a rescue of “questionable parentage” from the Animal Shelter of Huntsville. Shawn is also the federal Liberal candidate for Parry SoundMuskoka.
If your family members are less Partridge Family and more Addams Family, then have the executor sell the cottage and divide the proceeds right away. An interested sibling can always buy from the estate. Do you remember Walt Kelly’s “Pogo”? “We have met RETIRE IN STYLE $875,000 Gorgeous exec home set on a LAKE OF BAYS $649,000 Turnkey cottage just mins from the he is us.” There is 5a great privateenemy 1.63 acre and lot in Woodland Heights, Huntsville. Dorsettemptation offers 105' frontage,to 4 bdrms, wood burning fireplace bdrms, 4 baths, 3,450 sq. ft of beautifully maintained living space, includes everything! Golf, ski hill & boating nearby!
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PENINSULA LAKE VIEWS $409,500 Beautifully maintained end unit offers 2 bdrms, 2 baths, 1,518 sq. ft, 2 fireplaces & sun rm w/gorgeous views. This Deerhurst condo incl. appl’s & furnishings. World class golf, tennis, spa & boating!
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Please… Just one more summer. Jason McLeod DVM
Thor; the “God of Thunder” in Norse mythology. The name itself commands attention for the power and strength associated with it. Perhaps in some ways it is an intimidating name for the aggression and audacity the God of Thunder was legend for. What is for sure, is that it was NOT the name I would have given to the dog I was about to adopt. He was a 7 year old boxer-bull mastiff cross, owned by a client that could no longer care for him. I was a young veterinarian who had just lost the first dog I was actually responsible for; a boxer no less. What is it about “punched-in faces” I like so much? I firmly believe many people resemble their choice in dogs as the Fido commercials suggest. Yet the dog I was considering was once again, a brachycephalic breed. These are the Boxers, Bull Mastiffs, Boston Terriers, and Bulldog types. You know the ones with the “punched-in faces”! And Thor was a large, very well muscled, wrinkly faced, stout nosed, moderately drooly dog with boundless energy and an extremely goofy disposition. Yet I am tall and lanky, hardly wrinkled (although my wife points out the wrinkles are coming in fast) with a rather, how should we say….prominent nose. Perhaps I am best suited to an Afghan Hound? It was only a few days after agreeing to adopt Thor that we attempted to change his name as it just did not suit him….or so we thought. We tried various names more akin to his jovial, wag-mytail-until-I-fall-over attitude to which he showed no intention of responding to. Then we attempted to come up with a name that would rhyme with “Thor” hoping that we could fool him into believing we were calling him. There really aren’t any names that rhyme with Thor without being offensive or completely boring. Then at the end of the first week of having this beast of unbridled enthusiasm in our care, we realized why he had come to live up to his mighty name. We took him to Algonquin Park for a day’s worth of hiking and exploring, with the hopes of possibly seeing a moose, and to simply enjoy the sounds of nature as they are intended to be. Well, Thor had other ideas of what hiking trails are for. To him, trails are simply narrow freeways with speed bumps of tree roots and low hanging bridges of leafy branches that act as minor deterrents to chasing down small critters. Thor literally crashed through the bush like a bull in a china shop- leaves flying, branches snapping and dirt circling into the air like a dust storm. Of course when he finally cornered a petrified little chipmunk under
a downed yellow birch, he turned to us with his chest heaving, mouth agape, tongue hanging three times the length I had ever seen it, drool dripping to the ground like dangling jelly fish and had a look on his face as if to say, “I done good didn’t I?” Needless to say, he was not the smartest nor the most easily changed of his habits and behaviours. The end of that day is etched in my mind as the moment Thor truly lived up to his name. We had just finished sitting atop a well travelled look-out and a tourist requested a picture with Thor - He is indeed famous in more than just Muskoka. As we returned down a sloped rocky path with many of the tourists in tow, he spotted a large black German shepherd coming up the incline. Without hesitation he exploded like a bolt of lightening and descended down the rocky face with blazing speed and shocking agility. Although, I could tell he was not displaying the kind of jittery exuberance he had shown with other small dogs and the potpourri of small wildlife he had crossed paths with that day. Nor was the shepherd offering a friendly body posture either. They collided like two bucks in the middle of rut season and began a tussle with pugnacity I did not think he was capable of. I surprised myself with NFL running back abilities as I darted and deked through the maze of people over the most unsteady of
ground attempting to intercept. The only thing on my mind was that I needed to save my new found best friend before the larger shepherd, with his army of teeth much more suited to doing damage, caused irreparable harm to my goofy cam padre. I am not sure the time it took to wield my magic separate the dogs on friendly terms, but my wife tells everyone she has never seen me move so deftly. To my amazement, as I leapt the last few boulders before landing to the ground beside them, Thor had overpowered the shepherd and had him pinned down with his giant drool-covered jowls encircling his throat. The shepherd seemed passive and defeated. Thor simply held him there until I could separate them carefully and without concern for round two. A quick examination of both dogs revealed nothing but a primer coat of saliva on each of them. As I stood trying to look over both dogs, with the tourists all in shock and the owner of the shepherd trying desperately to control his dog, Thor simply stood between me and the beast he obviously saw as a threat to our safety. It took serious focus and time to rid Thor of the inherent feeling of needing to protect us from any large dog that approached. He was always cautious and never really was one to start things. However, we realized that if he determined, through whatever unknown language dogs communicate, that there was even the tiniest threat of attack, he was like the kid in the playground that strikes first and asks questions later. Never was this more evident than the following winter when we were dog-sitting our good friends’ aged Dalmatian “Calvin”. Calvin was 15 years old, walked like an old man and was hard of sight and even harder of hearing. We were out on a snowy walk down a quiet road along the shores of Fairy Lake. Calvin was ahead many strides with his nose to the ground sniffing for whatever frozen morsels the ravens had plucked from the garbage bags and dropped the day prior. Thor was tirelessly retrieving his tennis ball as we sauntered along. Suddenly Thor
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stopped mid-stride from his goofy gallop as he returned to us after yet another successful hunting down of the green fuzzy monster. His body proud, stiff, poised and his hair rising on his back. He was focused and we could not see on what it was that pulled his attention away from the tennis ball; the one thing in life he was fanatically fixated on. The ball fell from his mouth and he bolted. We then spotted a large malamute charging across a deer path in the snow on the lake. The camouflaged intruder was heading straight for Calvin with obvious intention to inflict damage. Calvin was as usual, completely oblivious to everything around him as he stopped to chew on an ice ball with an unidentified candy centre. As the malamute crested the snow bank and landed only a few feet from Calvin, mouth agape, Thor hit the dog with a full speed tackle like that of a missile intercepting its target. The malamute let out a surprised yelp before it hit the ground winded and stunned. It lay briefly staring up at the linebacker that just put it cleanly off its feet with a glazed looked in its eyes then jumped to its feet and high-tailed it out of sight. We were both in full stride attempting to stay wellfooted on the icy snow road to preclude any serious attack from progressing. Before we could even arrive to the scene, Thor had taken a few steps after the dog, his chest as large as I had ever seen it, and then turned around and walked quickly over to Calvin glancing over his shoulder a few times to make sure the assailant was still with tail between its legs. Calvin did not even know what had occurred until Thor touched him with his nose. My wife and I looked at each other and although we were never happy with the aggression Thor showed, we agreed we could not be upset with the situation in which he chose to show it. He truly proved himself to be our family’s protector.
not even find the tumours that were identified only three days prior. I became panicked not knowing what was going on with him. Many tests but no results elucidated why he was doing so poorly. Then he came around. Perhaps he has cancer in him somewhere, but if he has lived with it for three years and has continued to have a lifestyle that most dogs would be envious of, so be it. He continues to chase a ball every day, albeit only a few times and at a snail’s pace. I am so thrilled he has made it to another summer in Muskoka. We are in our new house and getting excited to enjoy this new point in our family’s lives. We moved in November just before the weather turned and the colder temperatures came. He no longer enjoys being outside in the winter and can barely navigate even the most moderate of snow falls. Although he loves laying in front of the fire on those cold blustery evenings, it is obvious in watching him as he rests that his mind is focused on chasing a tennis ball, or perhaps a squirrel, somewhere in Algonquin Park. You can see his legs wanting to move as such and the sounds that come from him suggest he is in the middle of that torrential landslide down a hill in hot pursuit.
So now it is many years later; over seven in fact. Thor himself is almost 15 years of age. A mighty feat in itself for his mix of breeds. He is the unsung hero of our lives and my constant companion. He travels with me almost everywhere and I have to admit, if I cannot take him somewhere, I often make an excuse not to go. He has lost much of his previous muscularity as evidenced by the almost four inches I have pulled his collar in over the past few years. His graying muzzle and cheeks are a constant reminder to me that we are both aging. My wife says that is the one physical parameter we both share; that and the wrinkles. I almost lost him about three years ago. A diagI had to carry him up the last 12 steps last night as we noses of cancer on an abdominal ultrasound suggested his time was then. I was crushed, but even more devas- came up from the dock. He had barely chased his ball in tated when I did exploratory surgery on him and could the water for the first time this season. I could no longer - 26 - CottageDog - July 2010
throw it out too far from shore as he cannot hold his body above water to swim. I did not know this and was shocked when after the first throw he retrieved the ball and then circled back toward shore and slowly began to sink under. At no point did he give up his prize. That lime green fuzz was the last thing I saw as I turned around to see him submerged. Aghast, I threw myself into the water to buoy him to the surface. I let him “swim” in my arms back to the solid footing underneath so as not to make him feel as though he had failed at something he had succeeded at his entire life. I know it is anthropomorphic to think as such, but I know he would be embarrassed. I slumped down on the edge of the dock as I watched him try to navigate the last step onto to shore; his hind legs so frail, his foot placement getting more awkward. I began to think of all the times we had spent together and all the times he made me happy, and angry. I became teary-eyed and began to cry. I even got that squeeze around my heart and couldn’t breathe well. I don’t think I have been that sad in a long time. Then I agreed with myself that I need to listen to the words I always offer as advice for clients and focus on the time I still have with him- remembering all the wonderful memories he has given me. It is still difficult, as I want him to be around forever and ideally as he was a few years back. At this point all I want is another summer with him.
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TRISH ALEVE
My name is Trish Aleve. My dog Buster is one of the family, and much of my spare time is spent doing things with, or for him! I love spending time outside playing with him, leading me to discover my true passion for photography. I’m a trained nurse, but being able to capture the perfect expression or pose has become just as rewarding to me as making a sick person well. In addition to being an aspiring photographer, I run the Doggie Bus, and my images (of Buster of course!) are helping to market the Bushsplash line of homeopathic pet products. I have entered and won many photography contests with my Pawsome Photography featuring dogs in action, and belong to many online photography groups; it’s safe to say I love dogs in real life and in pictures! So next time you’re enjoying the outdoors with your pet, look out for the Puparazzi!
Count how many times Trish’s dog Buster appears in the magazine. Enter draw online to win a FREE Pet Portfolio by Pawsome Photography.
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Taylor
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Snapping photos of the “Who’s Who”in your dog park... watch your tail, it’s the Puparazzi! Woofstock 2010
Buster
ZZI!
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~ a Crowd
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ns Galler y Local Artist Jennifer Pimentel Ope By Jonathan Wiebe
“Did you ever think you would open your own gallery?” I asked Jennifer on the day of her grand opening. She smiled and exhaled.
Visit Jennifer Pimentel’s Shadyzign Gallery at: 326 Ravenscliffe Rd. in Huntsville. Open May to October Fri, Sat, Sun, 10 - 2 or by appointment. For more details visit http://shadyzign.com
Her guests began to arrive. The drizzle of rain wouldn’t be enough to keep the curious at bay. Smooth jazz breezed along the textured ceiling and washed over a dozen or so art lovers as they mingled about the room. The wide plank floors guiding them up and down the space as they inspected the acrylic works that decorate the outer walls. The odd patron compelled to step right up close, perhaps to get a better idea of how it is done. So far the overall reaction seems positive. It is when they approach the pencil drawings however that you could see unguarded looks of amazement, puzzlement and even the occasional sting of disbelief… with good intention I’m sure.
“Are these actual drawings?” one woman asks.
“Well when it comes to drawing I’m self taught.”
“They are” replied Jennifer.
The woman rolled her eyes.
“They aren’t pictures?” she probes.
“I used to work in a cubical designing junk mail for a
Jennifer smiles at what could only be construed as a compliment.
giant corporation and then finally just said ‘okay, that’s enough for me, I have to get out of this career and out of this city.’ My husband and I lived downtown Toronto and
“Those are drawings.” Jennifer looked over and shrugged.
it was just so hectic that we wanted a change. Some-
“That is nothing short of amazing” the woman finally conceded. “So how… how did all of this come about?”
summer afternoon and fell in love right away. Then we
“Well…” Jennifer paused at the potential enormity of the question. “I guess I was always into art. I took art in high school…”
for their teenager and for the past few years it’s been
“They didn’t teach me to draw like that in school!” the woman blurted out with a reasonable amount of sincerity. They both laughed, potentially for different reasons.
thing quieter, more peaceful. We visited Huntsville one just started shopping for houses and here we are. One of the previous owners used this space as an apartment just a storage space until now. My husband and I rolled up our sleeves and spent the winter renovating and now it has become this. Something I never thought, not in my wildest dreams I would ever have, a gallery of my own.”
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