Dog rant

I I brought Blanco back from Afghanistan in 2011. He’s a little slower these days and we use a pet ramp to get him into the 4Runner when we can, but he’s still enjoying the great outdoors with us and living the good life with his Russian Wolfhound sister and GF’s rat thing.

M Mwrote:

the key to a long and happy life for the little territorial punters is agility.

Also a good human.  Belly rubs also help.  

Lee Chandlerwrote:

 I brought Blanco back from Afghanistan in 2011. 

Story? Wouldn't even think this is possible. 

tobias bundlewrote:

Story? Wouldn't even think this is possible. 

He was in the military and got permission to bring the dog home (just a wild guess!).

Locker wrote:

LOL!!!

What's so funny Locker?  I know five members of the armed forces who did this.  They literally asked to bring the dog home with them, filled out paperwork, and ta-da.  

Edit to add:  page 28!  We can hit 30!  Come on people!  

Chad Millerwrote:

What's so funny Locker?  I know five members of the armed forces who did this.  They literally asked to bring the dog home with them, filled out paperwork, and ta-da.  

Edit to add:  page 28!  We can hit 30!  Come on people!  

I think the funny part is how obvious it is…just a wild guess.

Doesn't the story of someone meeting a dog in a war and getting US permission to bring the dog home (on military aircraft) strike anyone else as an interesting? Maybe I'm less jaded than I thought. Is there some pre-made foreign dog requisition form? Is this really that banal?  My taxes paid for that dogs airfare! I demand a story!

What I think is funny, albeit in a sick, sad sort of way, is all of the anguish over the people who got left behind in Afghanistan--while the dogs made it out, under military escort.

Geez pessimist Paul, can we not just be happy that he rescued a dog and gave it a better life? It's a single dog, that my guess wasn't a choice between a human life and dog life. Dude wanted to save a being that probably also helps him deal with scars of war. That dog is probably more akin to a therapist.

In this picture, I am training Luna to hide in tall grass, so that she can more effectively jump out and attack climbers at crags.  It took a lot of time and hard work, but she perfected this skill.  She always likes to ambush this one climber named Adam Burch.  I don't know why she has taken such a "liking" to him.  She always jumps out and nips him in the heels.  Good fun!

Paul Morrisonwrote:

What I think is funny, albeit in a sick, sad sort of way, is all of the anguish over the people who got left behind in Afghanistan--while the dogs made it out, under military escort.

Pfft that was like forever ago. Now we’re all about Mahsa Amini. Can’t wait to screen shot this for my socials. It’s gonna be so hashtag.

tobias bundlewrote:

Doesn't the story of someone meeting a dog in a war and getting US permission to bring the dog home (on military aircraft) strike anyone else as an interesting? Maybe I'm less jaded than I thought. Is there some pre-made foreign dog requisition form? Is this really that banal?  My taxes paid for that dogs airfare! I demand a story!

Ha Ha no taxes funded his transport don't worry. Where there is a will there is a way. We got him home on donations and with the help from a British non-profit that was helping to get dogs out of the country at the time. The problem was they were in Kabul and we had to get him to them first. We were on a pretty remote FOB with only a dirt runway and not much air traffic, so this was the hardest part. The American military wouldn't touch the dog or allow it on any American aircraft, but by luck we were able to butter up some Italians and we got the dog on a NATO flight that passed through once a month. We only had one shot to get him off the base and it was not easy, but with some persuasion and a homemade cage, they agreed to take the pup to Kabul. A DOD lady on the flight then handed the dog through the front gate of the FOB in Kabul along with an envelope full of cash and the dog was then taken to the non profit by a local national. They gave it the minimum shots needed to get in the U.S. and then flew the dog to Islamabad, where it got a little tricky. A money order, a few thousand dollars and some blind faith got the pup on a 26 hour flight to JFK, where a handler assumed control of the dog and guided it through a 3 day customs inspection. No quarantine believe it or not. A temperament test, they test it for SW Asia canine parvo, which is particularly deadly for our pups and a few other infectious doggy diseases and that was basically it, minus some trial and tribulations along the way...

Great story, Lee! Glad some good ol' fashioned bribery and payola still works.

Adam Burch wrote:

What happened to our good buddy David K?

He popped back in for a hissy or two and now he's gone.

I sad.

For those who get too sad, Broken Arrow offers the Mishima™. Available for a limited time only..

@ Lee--That's a great story!  Glad he found a home.  My father was in the Korean war, and often talks about a dog that "adopted him" while he was there, which he always wished he could bring home.  

I don't have any fur in this fray. And I sure didn't read it all. But, I like Bruno. 

Good boy . . .

Ellie loves going climbing with us. She’s never aggressive, can usually tell when someone doesn’t love dogs, and eats only her own snacks. She also loves when other dogs are there, so if you see us, come say hi and bring your pup!!!

I met a lovely little crag dog today. So polite and friendly. I only stabbed her a little.

If I bring my dogs to the crag, does that mean I can stab them?