Welcome to the New Blog Page

Posted on Posted in projects

Finally after years of procrastination and inability to decide what design direction to take, we present to you our new look. A slightly bolder design, with more of an emphasis on images. Note the slider above, here we will feature new patterns/yarn, clubs and upcoming events, never miss what is happening at Knitspot and Bare Naked Wools again. Speaking of new events, the first installment of Bare Naked Knitspot 2017 will ship to international members this coming Monday, US members the following Monday. Still a few spots available, join here. Roll out of Ensemble continues, 3 or 4 more patterns in the offering, if you are not receiving the newsletter, you can signup here and be among the first hear about a new Ensemble release. Enjoy.

ps: We have a homeless dog homesteading in our compost pile, could be lost or abandoned, but no tags. Very skittish and fearful, runs when approached, ergo the blurry photo. A medium/small sized dog, the face is oddly mature looking to me, but the body seems youthful and dog is fast. Trapping seems a bit cruel, but may be the only practical solution. We may end up adopting our first dog if all ends well. On the other hand, a rather special site to see a dog living in relative freedom and independence on it’s own terms. Appreciate any advice from anyone that has actually experienced this sort of situation.

21 thoughts on “Welcome to the New Blog Page

  1. If you or someone else could get him to a vet, he might have an embedded chip to help connect him with owner(s)

  2. Please consider contacting a local no-kill shelter to come and rescue the dog. They are skilled at handling frightened and skittish dogs and once rescued, they will provide the care and nourishment he probably needs.

  3. I LOVE the new look and have no advice about the dog. The last time an animal took up residence in our yard, we ended up adopting him and bringing him inside to live with us. I’m guessing that’s not the result you’re going for.

  4. I LOVE the new blog look! I have no advice for the dog other than what’s been given – a local no-kill shelter will be able to help out and connect this cute dog with its future forever family.

  5. I echo Sue’s advice. A local rescue organization can take this dog in, care for him, and find him a good home.

  6. If you don’t have a no-kill shelter, any vet should be able to scan him for a microchip if you can entice him to you. You could also post pictures around the neighborhood advertising that you know where he is.

  7. First, Sue’s idea about the dog makes sense. Without experience with dogs, this one could be very challenging. Okay, enough of,that. The new format is stunning–great new look!

  8. That’s how my family ended up with one of our dogs–she came to our back yard and never left. We tried to find her owner but never could. We then called the local animal shelter to ask if we could drop her off with them and they begged us to keep her. So we did. We never regretted keeping her. She brought us so much joy and was with us for about 12 years before she passed.

  9. Love the new look and your newly released set of patterns. Darn I want to knit most of them before Stitches West (haha). Thanks for continuing to inspire us in so many ways.

    If you have a mobile vet, they may have a handheld scanner that might work better with a skiddish dog. Handsome one and well cared for. Surely he/she is missed. Maybe you should ask for a dog house on freecycle?

  10. Love the new format, and as always, love your gorgeous designs.

    I’ve had some experience with two different dogs on the run. In both cases we were successful in “collecting” the dog. It is a very difficult situation in that sometimes dogs quickly develop “feral” behaviors (even if they were previously a loved family member) – skittishness and fear, and it doesn’t take long for them to develop those fear behaviors.
    Last year I was among a number of volunteers who tried to find and “collect” a little French Bulldog who had gotten away from her family. It took six months. We had a number of disadvantages at the beginning that you do not have – the dog’s travel pattern was unknown. We literally drove over an area of several miles many times a day hoping to be able to get a siting. This dog was all over social media and the neighborhoods had posted pictures – even large signs. We set up a trap for her in the area where we thought she was located. It was winter, but not as cold as is in Ohio. The challenge of a trap is that you have to check it very frequently in cold weather. I was assigned checking it at midnight. The trap is baited with really smelly food – cat food, etc, anything that has a strong odor. You are working on luring the dog into the trap because the dog is going to be very, very hungry. At midnight many times I discovered that an animal was trapped, but it was not the little Frenchie. Typically it was a feral cat and once it was a raccoon. Luckily I had some experience as a wild life rehabilitator with raccoons and was able to release the raccoon safely. So the down side of trapping is that you really must check the trap every few hours and be prepared for trapping something beside the dog. The traps are humane but you need to know what you are doing. If the dog should go into the trap and the trap malfunctions, then it will be very, very difficult to trap the dog again. A dog on the run in the winter needs nutrition and warmth. I would recommend that you begin my placing food at the edge of your property, or wherever you see him/her. Would it be possible to make some of structure from straw so that she can get out of the cold? Also, the dog needs to perceive your yard as a safe place. If you should encounter the dog, do not give it any eye contact at all. In fact, the best thing you could do is clamly, and slowly, turn your back and crouch down. Do not talk to the dog. Eye contact and speech will destroy any sense of safety. If you try to entice the dog to you, it will be a very long process – one involving sitting with your back to the dog for long periods of time, and having food close to you – again anytime you encounter the dog, you want to get as low as possible, no eye contact, no speech – even lying down…and always have treats with you that you can carefully toss. You have a huge advantage over the situation with the Frenchie in that this dog has discovered a safe place. That’s huge. I would recommend that you start by making sure that there is food and some type of very primitive structure for it to get out of the cold. I would also recommend that you contact someone who is familiar with trapping, if you decide to go that route. The trapping is not cruel, but what comes after may be. If a public shelter is involved, and the dog is transferred to a public shelter after it is trapped, it likely won’t have much a chance of being adopted. True, if the dog is chipped, the owner may be located. But typically if the owner doesn’t claim the dog in a relatively short time, it will be euthanized. Adopters visiting public shelters typically are overwhelmed by the idea of adopting a dog that doesn’t respond to them quickly. I am betting this dog in a kennel environment, will not be able to overcome its fear, and is a poor candidate for adoption, which will also mean that she is euthanized. I would recommend that you contact a rescue who is willing to help you, and who might be able to place the dog in a foster home. I adopted a dog from a rescue in Columbus, Ohio, and they have huge, huge hearts http://www.ohiofuzzypawz.com/. They might be able to help you locate a rescue in your area that would be open to helping you. The other thought that I have, is this rescue http://www.wolfspiritsrescue.com They are located in Canton and they seem to specialize in puppy mill dogs. There’s no tougher situation than a puppy mill dog – I think that it is likely that they might be open to helping you help a dog who actually is in extremis, like your dog. Once the dog is collected, any vet can scan it for a microchip. If I was in Ohio, I would be the first to volunteer to help you get this dog to safety. Blessings to all of you – this is a very challenging situation.

  11. That dog is so cute. Love the snub nose. Taking it slow and moving food closer and closer to a person is a good way to start. Definitely check for a chip. If it doesn’t have one, then you should keep it. But it will need to go to the vet to be spayed or neutered, de-wormed and started on heartworm meds.

    It’s so handsome.

  12. You can easily get a live trap. Bait with food. I agree with the suggestions to contact your local shelter (preferably the one w/ your municipal contract; otherwise, please research to make sure it is a reputable org). Definitely check for a microchip. Some areas have social media sites where owners post their lost pets. The shelter may also offer such a service. Very important to know that, by law, a person who finds a “stray” dog usually does not simply have the right to keep it. It should go to the shelter for whatever the mandated “stray hold” period is in your area to maximize the chances of reuniting it with its owner if lost. After that, if the dog remains unclaimed, you may be able to arrange to adopt it.

  13. Love your new format. As a new member of the club, I am eagerly awaiting the first shipment. Sorry, but it won’t be shipped on Monday, the 20th. That’s Presidents’ Day and the post office will be closed.

  14. I love the new look but hope that I will continue to be able to read about the vegetable garden. As to the dog, do you have any friends who have a nice, friendly, outgoing dog themselves? Sometimes it is possible to lure a stray dog out this way, particularly if you also have some food on you, I did it myself once. Do be cautious, though, as a frightened dog can be unpredictable.

  15. New blog looks great. Of course, especially love that one photo on the header πŸ˜‰
    Think Knitspot could use a new mascot!🐢🐾

  16. A similar situation happened to us this past summer. A stray, running and scared dog who turned up on our street was brought to us by a neighbor who knew we had had a similar breed of dog. The dog had no identification. We called animal control as it is the law to do so and most people will search for their lost dog through animal control. However, the animal control shelter in our area is a kill shelter and the officer asked us if we wanted to keep the dog until the owner could be located. We did and found that some nice dog food, some soft blankets and some time for naps in a quiet environment helped the dog relax with us. We were eventually able to keep her; she is just a love and has a little winter wardrobe of knit dog sweaters now. Hope your pup situation turns out to be a happy one for all involved.

  17. I wonder if he has Akita in him…my dog is part Akita and he has some qualities…the curly tail and stocky body…

  18. Oh wow! Great job on the new blog look! So cool. As for your pooch, you need Kade to come out and whisper in its ear. He IS the animal whisperer, you know. . . . (maybe he wants to be Chica’s boyfriend).

  19. Elegant new layout, even though I have to teach myself the new menu items! Nice job, you guys!

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