Eruff is Eruff: Adopt These Super-Chihuahua Siblings Now

Today KramerPost unveils "Eruff is Eruff," an occasional feature spotlighting good dogs that, through no fault of their own, keep getting overlooked for adoption at Helping Hounds, a dog rescue where my wife, Leigh, volunteers.

www.rescuehounds.com

Choo Choo and Cha Cha

You'll find Helping Hounds in one of the out-structures at the Shoppingtown Mall in DeWitt, N.Y. Staff and volunteers can usually tell which dogs will get snapped up the quickest and which ones will struggle to find homes. Puppies and small dogs tend to fly out of the shelter almost as soon as they arrive -- sometimes before they arrive. But now and then some excellent canines languish inexplicably.

Such is the case with Choo Choo and Cha Cha, a brother-sister pair of Chihuahua-Terrier  mixes plucked from a high-kill shelter in Tennessee. They're about 5 months old.


I met Choo Choo and Cha Cha just today, and they're delightful: Calm, well-mannered, affectionate with people and each other. If Leigh and I weren't already at the municipal limit (3) of dogs in our home, I'd be tempted to grab them myself.

The siblings have spent 3 weeks at the shelter, an unusually long time for small-breed puppies. What seems to be the hang-up? Several prospective adoptive humans have commented that the puppies are too large for what they want in a Chihuahua.

I find this infuriating on several levels.

BREAKING NEWS: KRAMER TELLS L.A. TIMES HE CAN"T WAIT TO CAMPAIGN FOR OBAMA

For three years in '90s I wrote for the Los Angeles Times. Well,  I'm back ... if only for a day. This time I'm the one being interviewed:


http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-kramer-qa-20110810,0,6916887.story

Trampoline Assembly: Could It Be Any Easier?

Children (mine) at risk 

Congratulations. You have purchased the Pure Fun trampoline, the finest backyard trampoline money can buy. Unfortunately, you purchased it seven months ago, back in January, for your daughter Lily's 8th birthday. Now it's August.  In another five months Lily will be 9.  The trampoline still isn't assembled.

Pretty weak, wouldn't you say?

Here at Pure Fun we suspect that Lily is no fool. Lily understands that the trampoline could not be assembled while the ground was still covered with snow, but by now she knows you're stalling. You have failed to deliver on the sacred promise of birthday magic. Small wonder she doubts your credibility and competence as parents.

We've seen this before at Pure Fun. Our trampoline arrives in a 400-pound box containing hundreds of pieces. Then it sits in the garage unopened for months. In time all manner of items are piled upon it: bike helmets, tools, clothing, trash. The huge box is an annoyance and an eyesore, but that beats trying to assemble the Pure Fun trampoline, or so you tell yourself.

But you're so wrong.  Fact is, the Pure Fun trampoline is easy and fun to assemble, particularly on the most sweltering day of the year when you're already pissed off because your wireless Internet connection isn't working. Just  follow these steps:

Doing My Best to Defend the Indefensible in Foxboro

As sports fans we’ve all been there. Suddenly your favorite team acquires a player you despise -- and that’s when the rationalizing begins.

I’m in that place now with the New England Patriots. When they started winning Super Bowls last decade, the way they did it resonated with me. They were selfless and business-like. They didn’t mouth off. They let their play do the talking.

Albert Haynesworth

Later it came to light that the Patriots were taping opponents signals from their sideline. No matter. I dismissed it as political witch-hunt against Coach Bill Belichick by a hated rival and a jealous league. The transgression was a technicality, I argued. I still believe that. 

Then the Patriots acquired Randy Moss, a gifted receiver and notorious malcontent. Not a problem.  Playing for an intelligent, well-run organization like the Patriots would “cure” Randy of his antisocial behavior. Lo and behold it did. For a few years anyway.