Swiftwater Farms

I looked at all the animals in the shelter...
the castoffs of human society.
I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness and betrayal.
And I was angry.
"God" I said, "this is terrible! Why don't you do something?"
God was quiet for a moment and then spoke softly;
"I have done something" was His reply.
"I created you"

Jim Willis

A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal....
but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. Proverbs 12:10

Welcome to Swiftwater Farms. We are always under construction! I have had dogs most of my life and this site is dedicated to my "fur people", from whom I have learned so much through the years.

I have a deep and abiding love and respect for most animals, but the dog holds a very special place in my heart. No matter how much I learn or how much I think I may know, there isn't a day that goes by that my "extended family" doesn't show or teach me something new!

I currently have a variety of personalities of the canine persuasion living here with me. Nina (the Queen) is a 7# fawn Chihuahua. She rules. Everyone else (to her anyway) is beneath her. She has been here the longest thank you and so she deserves whatever her little heart desires! Her picture graces the homepage, her page and the rescue as well...she is in charge. She knows it too!

Several are rescues from other areas of the country during a time when Chihuahuas in local shelters were rare. There has been a dramatic increase recently due to the popularity of the Taco Bell commercials. As an independent rescue I am not non-profit and, unless I am working with one of the non-profit organizations I belong to, all the vetting and assorted dog related bills are paid by myself...so I am a very hands on, one on one rescue. With God's help, I alone make the decisions for each of my charges. Whom I should keep a while longer. Whom to let go.

Anyone who is a true "animal person" has a pretty good idea what their fur kids are feeling and thinking through years of having them and knowing their body language. I know each dog by their bark...anyone with more than one does...

When I first set up this site I "let each of my dogs introduce themselves". I did the same when the new girls came...then I noticed that, when I started talking about the rescues I stopped that. I "glossed over" what they had been through and gave a brief medical history for them and that was basically it. Recently I had several things happen which made me realize that I was doing all these wonderful animals an injustice by doing this. So, in addition to their introductions they will "tell their own stories"...as seen through my eyes on the Critters Rescue Stories page. Please understand that I am not giving myself a pat on the head here. These stories are duplicated daily, all over the world, by literally thousands of rescue critters and the volunteers who love them!

I am always happy to help people with any canine related problem or question and if I myself do not know the answer I try and put them in touch with the people who can help them. You never learn it all and I will be a student until I die! The secret is...never think anything is too silly to ask. Regardless of how original the question you think you are asking is...someone, somewhere has asked it before.

"Rescue is an organizational tool for those
who have the capacity
to love their breed beyond the regard they
hold for their own personal dogs."
- unknown -

Hi! I am NINA! (Swiftwater Nina the P.I.T.A.) and I am 8 years old. Because I am special I have been spayed, chipped and tattooed. I enjoy playing with my Mom and some of my very favorite ways to pass the times are: annoying the "lower life forms" (the d.o.g.s.), sleeping on my down feather pillow on my heating pad, barking at anyone who enters my domain (as far as I can see out the second story window). My favorite food is chicken. Mom thinks I do not know how to spell so she spells the word instead of actually saying it. Mom is a bit slow, but her heart is in the right place so I think she's a keeper. I have a very sensitive tummy and must eat a very exclusive special diet...but Mom also makes special snack treats just for me. I snuggle when I want to regardless of whether Mom has time or is in a position to. After all, she is here to serve my needs!

Being the Queen has disadvantages. After all, the dogs are very envious and jealous of my station in life! I have made a list of a few of the things used (I know they are behind it...I just need proof!) to make my life as Queen suffer. At the top of this "it's gonna get me" list is paper...paper is very, very bad. I have yet to prove to Mom that this is a very dangerous item and it all should be removed from the house. This is followed closely by having my toenails clipped (who wouldn't be concerned at having the ends of their fingers cut off I ask you?) and any trip to the vet for any reason. Vet bad...very, very bad.

I really love fluffy play toys...(beanie babies are a favorite) and Mom has to keep me out of the Tupperware toys or key chains and toothbrush holders are fair game! I mean really! She has a bazillion of the things! Everyone knows the very best things come in small packages! I am living for the day when Mom realizes I am important enough to have an entire page dedicated to me. I am the cute one. I am the smart one. Mom tells me so!

Oh Happy Day! I now have my very own page! It is (and rightly so) the QUEEN'S page! That's me! The QUEEN!!!

"None left to rescue, none left to buy,
none left to suffer, none left to die.
None to be beaten, none to be kicked...
all must be loved and all must be fixed".
- unknown -

A Dogs' Soul

Every dog must have a soul somewhere deep inside...
Where all his hurts and grievances are buried with his pride.
Where he decides the good and bad; the wrong way from the right.
And where his judgment carefully is hidden from our sight.
A dog must have a secret place where every thought abides.
A sort of close acquaintance that he trusts in and confides.
And when accused unjustly for himself, he cannot speak.
Rebuked, he finds within his soul the comfort he must seek.
He will love, though he is unloved; he will serve though badly used.
And one kind word will wipe away the times when he's abused.
Although his heart may break in two his love will still be whole.
Because God gave to every dog an understanding Soul!
Author Unknown

"Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul,
and sings the tune without words, and never stops at all."
- Emily Dickinson

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths
we take but by the moments that take our breath away."

I firmly believe in having all pets not being shown, altered. An animal shown in breed is required to be intact. But unless you plan to do this, it's in their best interest to have them altered as early as possible. It is a fact that having a pet altered keeps them at optimum health and all but eliminates the chance of reproductive cancers and related problems. Unless an animal is a show animal (breed, trials or obedience) and has a real contribution to offer to the breed, I believe there is no reason to breed the animal. There are too many out there already that need homes and are being put down...every single day! Please don't contribute to this horror! I also believe breeding for profit alone (puppy mills and pet shop breeders) OR to use as a sex education/miracle of life example is not an adequate justification for producing a litter of puppies! Anyone who uses a living creature as a "miracle of life" example should also take the family to the local shelter to also view the "miracle of death" - euthanasia. It is up to the responsible pet owner to do all they can, not only in the care of their own animals, but to make others aware of just how much it takes to care properly for them.

A dog is the only thing on this earth who loves you more than he loves himself.
Josh Billings

It would be great if every person who had a dog or was thinking about getting one would plan ahead and research which breed would be good for them. And actually talked to owners, vets and breeders and actually met members of the breeds that interested them. In reality this rarely happens. The majority of people do not even own a breed book or a veterinary guide. Learn about your pet. You would be surprised to know where a lot of their behavior comes from. It will give you an understanding of the breed. And remember also that, breed rescues are full of wonderful animals who are there because the people who got them were not ready for dealing with that breed and discovered the animal was more than they could handle. Lost, alone and misunderstood these animals have been beaten, abused and/or abandoned through ignorance. Ignorance of the basic temperament of a particular breed right down to ignorance of basic physical and medical problems which the breed may have. How many good animals have been lost or injured because the person who paid several hundred dollars for the puppy would not invest $20 for a book on how to take care of it?

There are a lot of general and breed specific books available out there. A few of my favorites are:

Chihuahuas by D. Caroline Coile, Ph.D.
The Chihuahua & The New Chihuahua by E. Ruth Terry
The New Collie by the Collie Club of America
Guide to Owning a Dachshund by M. William Schapell
Guide to Owning a Jack Russell Terrier by George Koshloff
Jack Russell Terriers Today by Sheila Atter
The Jack Russell Terrier by Catherine Romaine Brown

There are many more books available and I recommend also having at least one veterinary guide. Learn what needs your chosen breed have. Pick up a book and learn!

"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures
from the shelter of compassion and pity,
you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow man."
St. Francis of Assisi

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his
life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the
last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion"
Unknown

"Women and cats will do as they please and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea."
Robert A. Heinlein

Never forget and always respect...what THEY have given for us!

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Updated 12-25-03