Like so many, Baxter (formerly Matt) and his litter mate, were abandoned as puppies, left on their own to survive-or not. Fortunately for these puppies, they were found! A caring gentleman brought them to the shelter. ODHCS provided them all the things they needed to be ready for adoption, and a safe, loving place to wait to find their forever families. Matt’s update is a reminder of the importance of a place to provide the care and second chances these pets deserve. While the adoption is a ‘good-bye’ for us; for the pet, it’s a hello to a whole new world! ~Thanks to Baxter’s family for giving him amazing adventures and for sharing this awesome update with us: Hey guys! Welp, I can hardly believe my 6th year is wrapping up….and here I am, back in the southeast, nonetheless! I’m sorry I haven’t written in a while. Last year was a rough one in our household. Lots of changes. My older brother, Barley, passed away and while he was 15 ½ years old, and had a long, adventurous, and beautiful life, he was my OG best bud, and his passing was sudden and pretty unexpected. I helplessly witnessed him have a series of rapid seizures that took his life one night in our bed, with mommy and daddy comforting him. Needless to say, life, post-Barley, has been tough for all of us to adjust to.
So, here’s my pupdate in a nutshell: We started out the year in Washington state and shortly after Snow-maggedon 2019, in the spring, we hit the road for a two-week road trip across the U.S. Boy oh Boy, we sure are lucky to live in such beautiful Country! We traveled south to Crater Lake National Park (OR), enjoyed pupucinos in Reno (NV), visited the pristine (and very chilly) Lake Tahoe; and explored Yosemite Valley. We also saw a disheveled fox and mourned for the trees burned in last years’ fire at Yosemite National Park ☹
Then…get this……the ‘rents took us to Los Angeles for a day!! We cruised the streets looking for famous peeps, ate at the Sunset grill (thank you, Don Henley, for the suggestion!); drove around Mulholland Drive with our paws covering our faces and rolling our eyes while mommy and daddy tried to talk like ol' time gangsters. We even had a little picnic at one of the pull-outs there. It’s so windy up there, by the way! Then we drove through the Hollywood Hills and picked out our (*pretend*) retirement houses. We took it alllll in --- the famous Hollywood sign, Hard Rock Café, Capitol Hill Records, Madame Tussands, various famous streets, the Hollywood walk of fame, and the Laugh Factory. What a cool place!
Our journey took us further south to Newport Beach and Laguna Beach (mommy wanted to see this place on account of she used to have a Barbie doll from Laguna Beach, she said…whatever that means. Must be “old people” stuff). Then on to Oceanside, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Del Mar, La Jolla, and San Diego. We even caught a glimpse of the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, which was pretty neat. The weather was amazing and the air was sweet and salty at the same time. Murphy and I were California Dreamin’!
So, after the mountains, snow, and the beaches, we did the next most reasonable thing and headed east to the desert! Palm Springs was WAY cool and sooo dog friendly. Little did we know, we would land there just as folks were setting up for Coachella. We roamed around the Coachella valley and each of the 9 distinct cities of Greater Palm Springs, then went out to the Mecca/Indio area to see if we could find a family house that daddy said he used to visit when he was young like me…I guess like hundreds of years ago or something. We never did find it but we did find the Salton Sea! We thought it would be the coolest thing to swim in it so we talked mommy and daddy into stopping so we could check it out. Boy, that was the WORST idea ever. I guess maybe they should have Googled it first. We practically sank into a pit of muddy grossness and dead fish. There was no “sea” and we were in the middle of the desert with NO water to wash off with, for miles…and miles…and miles. Miles of silence while we sat in our shame and stench as mommy and daddy searched hopelessly for a place to clean us (and the truck). But we will just leave that one in the memory bank and move on to brighter days…..
We explored the magical Joshua Tree National Park afterwards, at sunset. Murphy and I had so much fun climbing up on rocks and posing for pictures. Everyone said what handsome devils we were! The next day, we hit up Vegas and cruised the Strip – Murphy and I feel so bad for some of the people there. It seems they cannot afford clothes because not everyone on the street was wearing them. Next time we go, I decided that I’ll bring them some of my extra t-shirts!
Anyway, the very next day, Murphy swam for the first time ever in Lake Mead! I mean, not just wading in up to his knees like he usually does. He actually took off chasing after some ducks, to tell them all about his travels, and next thing you know, he was way off shore. It was so odd…. mommy and daddy were yelling for him to come back and stripping their clothes and shoes off left and right as they jumped in the water as well. I guess they wanted to chase ducks too. Then all of a sudden, we all realized Murphy was headed back to shore and low and behold he was actually SWIMMING!!! Murphy looked pretty surprised as well, (LOL). That was pretty neat and fun, and we sure slept like logs that night!
The next few days were action-packed with visits to some of mommy and daddy’s favorite places – St. George, Utah and Zion National Park, Moab, Arches NP, Canyonlands NP, and a scenic ride though Colorado, to include the Million Dollar Highway, Durango, Silverton, Gunnison, Ridgway, Telluride, Montrose, Ouray, Aspen, and Crested Butte. Mommy kept calling it “crusty butt” and that joke got old QUICK…but I guess she didn’t think so (*rolls eyes*). You know, this visit to the southwest made me remember my time living here (with Barley) back in 2016 and our visits out to CO prior to moving there. But it was special to be able to experience these things with Murphy now, as well. Life is a funny thing – how quickly circumstances can change and then you can experience the exact same thing with a different dynamic, and yet it feels like a whole different experience altogether. Guess that is just something you start to realize and think about as you get older, huh?
Well, we went on to Denver afterwards and I pointed some familiar things out to Murphy as we cruised through. The next couple days were less sight-seeing and more of a mission to get to our new “home” back in the Florida Panhandle. Oh and Murphy experienced his first thunderstorm in Kansas. Haha, I knew exactly what the booms were as soon as I heard them! I have always loved thunderstorms because I lived in the woods before the kind people at ODCHS found me and took me in. They don’t bother me. Murphy wasn’t scared at first – more curious; but after spending a summer in the southeast, he has decided he doesn’t care for thunder or loud booms at all. So now I have an extra job of protecting him when things get loud. But that’s okay; I don’t mind comforting him.
I’ll tell ya – when we crossed the state line from Alabama into Florida in April of this year, I knew EXACTLY what I was smelling. I sat upright and stuck my head so far out the window! That heavy salt air…all my spidey senses told me I was back in PENSACOLA! Where we used to live a few years ago! I was so excited I was whimpering and shaking all over. Mommy and daddy thought it was so cute so instead of going right to our new house, they took me STRAIGHT to beach and we cruised along beach drive – something we always did every Sunday (with Barley) before we moved away. They drove me past some of our old favorite places and hangouts so that I could smell all the smells, and feel all the feels. I couldn’t be happier. I tried to tell Murphy all about it as fast as I cold. I just knew this would be a great year! Once again, I had SOOOO much new stuff to show him! And that, my friends, is what I have spent this year doing…showing him the ropes of the southeast. Just as Barley did with me. And that is why it was so important to me to come to ODCHS today – on my 7th birthday (which also happens to be mommy & daddy’s wedding anniversary!) I wanted the Murphs to see where I came from – the wonderful people who rescued me and led me to my FUREVER home…my tribe, whom I love fiercely. So today, on my 7th birthday, instead of gifts, I told my people that I wanted to bring you guys 7 gifts – It’s not much, but there is one for each of my vibrant, robust and blissful years in this wonderful life. Years I might not have had if not for you all at ODCHS. I am so in love with my journey, and hope that all the furry friends at the shelter take comfort knowing that any day now, might be your new beginning. Stay hopeful.
Love always,
Baxter “Matt” Weber
Adopted from ODCHS January 29, 2013.
So, here’s my pupdate in a nutshell: We started out the year in Washington state and shortly after Snow-maggedon 2019, in the spring, we hit the road for a two-week road trip across the U.S. Boy oh Boy, we sure are lucky to live in such beautiful Country! We traveled south to Crater Lake National Park (OR), enjoyed pupucinos in Reno (NV), visited the pristine (and very chilly) Lake Tahoe; and explored Yosemite Valley. We also saw a disheveled fox and mourned for the trees burned in last years’ fire at Yosemite National Park ☹
Then…get this……the ‘rents took us to Los Angeles for a day!! We cruised the streets looking for famous peeps, ate at the Sunset grill (thank you, Don Henley, for the suggestion!); drove around Mulholland Drive with our paws covering our faces and rolling our eyes while mommy and daddy tried to talk like ol' time gangsters. We even had a little picnic at one of the pull-outs there. It’s so windy up there, by the way! Then we drove through the Hollywood Hills and picked out our (*pretend*) retirement houses. We took it alllll in --- the famous Hollywood sign, Hard Rock Café, Capitol Hill Records, Madame Tussands, various famous streets, the Hollywood walk of fame, and the Laugh Factory. What a cool place!
Our journey took us further south to Newport Beach and Laguna Beach (mommy wanted to see this place on account of she used to have a Barbie doll from Laguna Beach, she said…whatever that means. Must be “old people” stuff). Then on to Oceanside, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Del Mar, La Jolla, and San Diego. We even caught a glimpse of the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, which was pretty neat. The weather was amazing and the air was sweet and salty at the same time. Murphy and I were California Dreamin’!
So, after the mountains, snow, and the beaches, we did the next most reasonable thing and headed east to the desert! Palm Springs was WAY cool and sooo dog friendly. Little did we know, we would land there just as folks were setting up for Coachella. We roamed around the Coachella valley and each of the 9 distinct cities of Greater Palm Springs, then went out to the Mecca/Indio area to see if we could find a family house that daddy said he used to visit when he was young like me…I guess like hundreds of years ago or something. We never did find it but we did find the Salton Sea! We thought it would be the coolest thing to swim in it so we talked mommy and daddy into stopping so we could check it out. Boy, that was the WORST idea ever. I guess maybe they should have Googled it first. We practically sank into a pit of muddy grossness and dead fish. There was no “sea” and we were in the middle of the desert with NO water to wash off with, for miles…and miles…and miles. Miles of silence while we sat in our shame and stench as mommy and daddy searched hopelessly for a place to clean us (and the truck). But we will just leave that one in the memory bank and move on to brighter days…..
We explored the magical Joshua Tree National Park afterwards, at sunset. Murphy and I had so much fun climbing up on rocks and posing for pictures. Everyone said what handsome devils we were! The next day, we hit up Vegas and cruised the Strip – Murphy and I feel so bad for some of the people there. It seems they cannot afford clothes because not everyone on the street was wearing them. Next time we go, I decided that I’ll bring them some of my extra t-shirts!
Anyway, the very next day, Murphy swam for the first time ever in Lake Mead! I mean, not just wading in up to his knees like he usually does. He actually took off chasing after some ducks, to tell them all about his travels, and next thing you know, he was way off shore. It was so odd…. mommy and daddy were yelling for him to come back and stripping their clothes and shoes off left and right as they jumped in the water as well. I guess they wanted to chase ducks too. Then all of a sudden, we all realized Murphy was headed back to shore and low and behold he was actually SWIMMING!!! Murphy looked pretty surprised as well, (LOL). That was pretty neat and fun, and we sure slept like logs that night!
The next few days were action-packed with visits to some of mommy and daddy’s favorite places – St. George, Utah and Zion National Park, Moab, Arches NP, Canyonlands NP, and a scenic ride though Colorado, to include the Million Dollar Highway, Durango, Silverton, Gunnison, Ridgway, Telluride, Montrose, Ouray, Aspen, and Crested Butte. Mommy kept calling it “crusty butt” and that joke got old QUICK…but I guess she didn’t think so (*rolls eyes*). You know, this visit to the southwest made me remember my time living here (with Barley) back in 2016 and our visits out to CO prior to moving there. But it was special to be able to experience these things with Murphy now, as well. Life is a funny thing – how quickly circumstances can change and then you can experience the exact same thing with a different dynamic, and yet it feels like a whole different experience altogether. Guess that is just something you start to realize and think about as you get older, huh?
Well, we went on to Denver afterwards and I pointed some familiar things out to Murphy as we cruised through. The next couple days were less sight-seeing and more of a mission to get to our new “home” back in the Florida Panhandle. Oh and Murphy experienced his first thunderstorm in Kansas. Haha, I knew exactly what the booms were as soon as I heard them! I have always loved thunderstorms because I lived in the woods before the kind people at ODCHS found me and took me in. They don’t bother me. Murphy wasn’t scared at first – more curious; but after spending a summer in the southeast, he has decided he doesn’t care for thunder or loud booms at all. So now I have an extra job of protecting him when things get loud. But that’s okay; I don’t mind comforting him.
I’ll tell ya – when we crossed the state line from Alabama into Florida in April of this year, I knew EXACTLY what I was smelling. I sat upright and stuck my head so far out the window! That heavy salt air…all my spidey senses told me I was back in PENSACOLA! Where we used to live a few years ago! I was so excited I was whimpering and shaking all over. Mommy and daddy thought it was so cute so instead of going right to our new house, they took me STRAIGHT to beach and we cruised along beach drive – something we always did every Sunday (with Barley) before we moved away. They drove me past some of our old favorite places and hangouts so that I could smell all the smells, and feel all the feels. I couldn’t be happier. I tried to tell Murphy all about it as fast as I cold. I just knew this would be a great year! Once again, I had SOOOO much new stuff to show him! And that, my friends, is what I have spent this year doing…showing him the ropes of the southeast. Just as Barley did with me. And that is why it was so important to me to come to ODCHS today – on my 7th birthday (which also happens to be mommy & daddy’s wedding anniversary!) I wanted the Murphs to see where I came from – the wonderful people who rescued me and led me to my FUREVER home…my tribe, whom I love fiercely. So today, on my 7th birthday, instead of gifts, I told my people that I wanted to bring you guys 7 gifts – It’s not much, but there is one for each of my vibrant, robust and blissful years in this wonderful life. Years I might not have had if not for you all at ODCHS. I am so in love with my journey, and hope that all the furry friends at the shelter take comfort knowing that any day now, might be your new beginning. Stay hopeful.
Love always,
Baxter “Matt” Weber
Adopted from ODCHS January 29, 2013.