Introduction to the Dog Bless You pack

At this moment, our pack numbers seven. Allow me to introduce them to you.

The cats are as follows: 

Lucifer; rescued from SPCA as I walked in to look for a kitten for a friend of mine and couldn't leave him there. He was a tiny ball of nothingness that had been abused on the beach by kids. I took him home, and originally we thought he was female and named him Lillith. On closer inspection by the vet, we discovered he was male and changed his name to Lucifer as he was a little hell-cat. Unfortunately, Luci has lost aggressive attitude, and his wonderful blue eyes are soft and gentle. He became "Luci" instead and is a wonderful little mite that bites your toes in the mornings when he wants affection. He is very timid and doesn't show himself to many people.

Nala is the first cat that we ever adopted, the day after I landed here from the UK. She was at the Cat Protection Society in Windhoek, and was so beautifully fluffy with the most enormous ears on the planet, and we just loved her immediately. She is the one that dislikes all humans and other animals, even her own cats that she has grown up with - everyone apart from Kita. She adores Kita and plagues her daily and wants nothing more than to cuddle with her, as you can see in this picture to the right. She is never happier than when she is cuddled up to her Kita and purring her head off. She is terrified of everything in the world, and spends her days now hiding on or under the deck. The bedroom window stays open permanently for her so she can come and go as she pleases. She is a very tiny little thing and has real issues - we are sure she is dumb, deaf, blind, or just all three. She falls off things and walks into things all the time, poor mite.

Zazu is our third cat, and we took him the same day that we picked Nala from the CPS, as he was such a retard I knew no one else would take him so I couldn't leave him there. He is an ugly monster of a cat with a personality like no other - he is a very special boy. He is hugely fat, loud,  and obsessed with food. He steals, trips you up constantly, screams like a demon, and never gives anyone any peace. He doesn't give a damn what dog is walking through the house or if they try bite him - as long as there is food around he's there! He sleeps on me at night, and if it's too hot, he reaches out a paw and touches me. He's an angel. With a very big mouth. 

I had wanted a Husky forever, and took Bear as a four-week old puppy when we were living in Swakopmund. I don't agree with taking pups so young, but I was told that unless I came to fetch him they would courier him to me. So I went to fetch him. He was so tiny he fitted in one hand! He is my special child, and I love him more than words. He is arrogant, forceful, bossy, dominant and tries to take me out as Alpha all the time. He is a terrible hunter, and has killed a sheep and taken on goats and cows and God knows what else. He is a terror, but you will never find a better behaved Husky (for the first three weeks after a big hiding anyway!) We have a bond that I on't think I will ever be able to replace, and he makes me smile and laugh every day. He bites me when I try brush him, fights when I bath him, runs away when he finds something to chase and his dominance over every other animal gives me grey hairs! But he is my first Husky and I will love him always and with all my heart!

Beautiful Kita we took on as a four-month old puppy. When the Akita's were first born, I said to Pio "I want one." He said "No, I want a bull terrier if we're going to get another dog." I just love puppies, so  I hunted for a pup for him and couldn't find one for love or money. All those months later, there were still Akita's available and we went to look at them. We took bear with as he had to decide who he wanted to live with as well - it was a buddy for him. Kita was our first love of the two pups that were left and we took her home, to Bear's disgust at the time. Now, they are inseparable and don't go anywhere without the other. Kita is insecure and scared without her Bear and looks for him constantly when we walk. She is a rather large mutt, weighing in at 38 kg's at the moment, and is a great big cuddle-bug. She doesn't like new people and growls at everyone - her aggression and protective instincts are getting worse daily - but with us she is the most wonderful and lovable dog we have ever had. She woo's like an owl and talks constantly! Our Fatty-Boo! 

Coda is the first rescue of Dog Bless You, and you will find his entire back-story posted next. I am still working on that and will do it in two parts as we have a very long story with him. In spite of all the trouble he has given us, the nightmares, the tears, the heartbreak and the anger, Coda has turned into a wonderful boy. He in gentle and unlike Bear, doesn't exert dominance over everything that moves. He welcomes new animals happily and easily, and he was also the first dog that Kita liked and accepted immediately with no issues. HE is affectionate, and has a personality that I would liken to a joker. He storms through the house, jumps onto the bed, goes crazy and kicks and squirms then bolts off to jump over all the couches and generally go crazy. Sometimes he just stays for cuddles and then he REALLY cuddles. He also seemed to take to the latest rescue (news still to come) with a fiercely protective instinct and guarded her for hours, keeping Bear and Kita away from her. It was amazingly warm-hearted of him.

 

 This is the pack (before Coda) all on my bed. Nala, Zazu, Luci (just hiding behind Kita but you can see the little white spot showing), Kita and Bear all on my bed enjoying a peaceful Sunday morning. I love that all my animals were safe and secure enough to all sleep together and to enjoy it - even Zazu was cuddling with Kita in this picture, and my big girl allows it. Bear doesn't. Ever. So this is the original pack, before rescues and Huskies with problems registered on my radar, and before Dog Bless You was born. Now, it's a new year and time to begin new things, and with the way things have gone lately, it seems that it is becoming a reality without me 

pushing it. It is now time to register a charity and to get the whole project off the ground - slowly but surely. We don't rush things in Africa. Why do today what you can do tomorrow ...