All is calm, all is bright

Today is the first day since September that I did not hear the pitter patter THUMP THUMP bark bark of my two foster guests Meggie or Sapphire, just at the moment I awoke. The morning energy of adolescent foster dogs is not quite the same as my own snoozing dogs, to put it mildly.

I think the morning crated Meggie and Sapphire's thought process went something like this.

"OMD SHE IS UP, I CAN HEAR HER, SHE IS COMING, OMD IT'S HER IT'S HER IT'S REALLY HER. HERE SHE COMES!!!! HERE SHE COMES!!! LET US OUT...FEED US..FOOD FOOD FOOD, GOTTA PEE GOTTA PEE GOTTA PEE. HIHIHIHIHIHIHIHI!!!!

Of course the dogs had to be calm before they could be let out, but neither had a crate insert due to various reasons, and anytime I got up it was loud and thumpy.

Can't lie, I do kind of get off on the worship, just wished I could have turned it off now and again, like for instance when I had to pee in the middle of the night. There were times I wished I had a remote control and could have just hit a button and turned them off for a bit.  Anyone who has ever lived with adolencent dogs knows that they are the most difficult, and I know for certain that having two multiplied their youngness by a factor of at least 20 sometimes.  A snooze button feature on foster dogs would nice.


Both dogs are in wonderful homes,  and  it was all worth it.  We miss them. Really.

Meggie left on Tuesday. Lucky Meggie, now Lucy (the missing link), will be living at the base of. Sugarloaf with two Border Collies and Two Brittany Spaniels. She has 2000 acres to hike every day. I woke up on Wednesday overcome with sadness and posted this picture on Facebook. In less than one minute two friends chimed up that they knew her new family and how great they were and one of my friends is his sister!

What a relief! What a wonderful small world it is!

Sapphire left yesterday (again) to live in New Hampshire with a very nice guy.

He and his girlfriend drove up to meet her last weekend and let's just say it was a total "click".

Finney saw the vet for a lump on his leg. He was very brave for an aspiration,  which appears to be nothing to worry about, but will be removed and sent off to Idexx. While there we discussed Charlee's tumor toe and it was deemed NOT CANCER.  My vet said she would have been dead by now. 
All is calm, all is bright!

The 411 on car sick dogs

A bunch of nice people passed on my foster pup Meggie because she gets car sick. My Collie and his entire litter got car sick for the first few months. Half of the fosters that we have had in the last year got car sick. Finney was easy to deal with, I just gave him Benydryl and a kid's lap to sit on in the car when he was a pup. Stella, formally foster dog Evon, lives quite happily with my cousins. She was adopted out while they were still getting her sickness under control. They had a hard time because they live in Boston and the stop and go traffic made her sick at first.

Are they happy to have adopted a dog that overcame her car issues? Of course! I have never known of a dog who did not get past car sickness.


Meggie' and Stella's car sickness is based in fear. Many of the pups who have been shipped up from the south get car sick. Three days in a van is a pretty scary place, especially if you are not feeling well. In hindsight, I wished I had started with the Benydryl earlier. Once the dogs get sick, then they fear getting sick and that in turn makes them sick. Meggie had been doing really well and taking rides with me that were very short. Picking up a kid down the street, or a ride to an off leash park. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I drove her to Windham to be in class did she get sick both ways io the 30 minute ride that I realized that she was not yet over the hump. Prior to that if I saw that she started to drool, I pulled right over and let her get her sea legs and she was fine for the remainder of the short trip, sans gak. 



So, moving on to finding Meggie her forever home, I have stepped up my plans at helping her overcome her car sickness. Only problem is, I don't have a car at this time. My Kia Sedona van was towed up 95 from York after it overheated. Shout out to tow truck driver Don who took not only my 9 year old kid, but my dog Charlee in his tow truck. Tow truck drivers do not have to take babies in car seats, or dogs due to some sort of liability issues, or so they have told me when I was stuck on the side of a the road in the past No amount of eye lash batting, or bribery changed their mind.

I mention this because while there is nothing you can do at the time, it is something to keep in mind when you take your dogs to various destinations. My daughter and I commented how grateful we were that we didn't have Meggie in the car last night!

Once I get a vehicle back, I am stepping up Meggie's car training. This will involve short trips with Benydrl given a half hour before we leave.  She will get to go  fun places on an empty stomach, we will hang in the car when it is not moving, and she will eat her  meals in the car in the driveway. We will also try ground ginger. You can buy ginger powder in bulk and then put it in your own organic capsules. I will let you know how that goes. I have been accused of not really wanting to place Meggie and undermining her potential homes.

Guilty! But Meggie is just so darn cute and her reactivity is pretty much gone with me, and I worry that it will come back if I am not super careful where she is placed.

By the way, today is national Shelter Dog Appreciation Day. Shout out to my favorite gal pal Charlee who was pulled from a kill shelter in Albany NY after being relinquished when her owner died.

Finney, the day we picked him up.  He didn't gak that day, but did get sick a few times in the begining.  His entire litter got over getting car sick in a few months with just a little effort.

Sapphire -ADOPTED!

I am happy and hopeful for Sapphire who left for a new life with a great new Mom and wonderful 10 month old rescue sister dog on Sunday. Lucky Sapphire will be going to lots of training classes and even get to play agility! There are also 4 cats in her new home. That is a lot of new and if it isn't a good fit for her, of course I will take her back. Technically I guess you would call this a trial, although that is not what it looked like when they left.

Looked like one happy family to me!

That is a far cry from a being what is refereed to as a "lifer" dog In Mississippi, where Sapphire had little to any chance of being adopted once she past puppyhood.

Wasn't sure how Meggie would do without her BFF, but I have managed to give Meggie a lot more of my time with one less here and she seems totally fine with getting more human interaction and attention. I just re wrote Meggie's bio and I think she is very close to moving on to her new life as well.

                                                                  

I will miss them both.

Four plus 1

I have been meaning to post this photo as a wordless Wednesday shot, but I kept forgetting, so consider it a scatter brained Thursday post. A few weeks back I took care of my friend's adorable just turned 5 year old (he was 4 on this day) and we took a walk to Evergreen to feed the ducks.


Great kid, great day, great dogs.

And yes, I did tie the the fosters to a tree. They were only there for a second. Had to,  Meggie and Sapphire kept trying to kiss Oywn.
So who wants to adopt my super foster pups? They are getting too comfy here.

If you got the teen, I got the perfect dog

People have been asking about my two foster dogs. Yup, they are still here. Sapphire met a lovely family with a two year old daughter last weekend and the dog was perfect. I was all mush watching her interact with the family in such a sweet and appropriate way. Saffi, was the first dog they met, and the family plans to meet and greet quite a few more dogs before deciding which dog will join their family. That is wise and I am sure whatever dog they get will be well taken care of (come back nice people!!)

Sapphire is a super dog and she will be placed soon no doubt, because she can fit in just about anywhere. Sapphire could be a super wonderful pet for just about any family, or she could be a competition dog in a varity of sports.  She is  a nice,  smart and super athletic dog!



Anyone notice the time? It is 4:00 AM. Sapphire woke me up barking a while ago and I have had a hard time getting back to sleep.


Sapphire comes with a teen meter feature not found in many dogs. It is the if your teenager tries to sneak in after curfew, the dog will bark and wake you all up feature.

Thanks Saffi!

Good dog.
 
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17718179 Sapphire


http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17400115 Meggie

Meggie and Sapphire are ready to move on-help them please!

Watching Meggie and Sapphire blossom here over the last several weeks has made me not regret my heart's decision to take them on as foster dogs. My head on the other hand knows I am meshugana. Me and the kids and the dogs need a break and with the kids back to school, I am stretched really thin these day. Who isn't right?


With that said, please help me find these two their forever homes. It is  kind of sad seeing them here. Both dogs are ready to move on and both dogs deserve a better life than I can give them.

Meggie is listed as reactive on her Pet finder bio, but I am on the verge of taking that down. She is more excitable I should say now, after I have gotten to know her, She is quick to size up and move on. Just about everyone who meets Meggie wants her, but can't take her for various reasons. She has a HUGE fan club, and I am her number one fan. When we were walking home from school,  the tree guy was so smitten with her, that he is contemplating risking a divorce, by bringing home a third dog.

She has a very sweet spirit and is just overall sugar and spice and everything nice.





In all my experience as a dog trainer, I have never seen a dog learn and grow so quickly as the transformation that I have seen in Sapphire.



Are you my Mother?



The day we met her at the kennel she was so freaked out, that her eyes were  wall eyed, and close  to 50 percent white. Yet and still, she crawled over to us to say hello. Sapphire is an incredibly resilient dog and will make someone an awesome family member. She is still bouncing off my back door and she can hit her hind foot close to 5 feet up. Not only is she sweet and cuddly and kissy, but she is super athletic. I mean off the hook athletic.





She would make an awesome Frisbee or sport dog.


Check out her turbo body. She will make a nice pet, and wow does she love kids.

On a beautiful fall day I spent a good amount of time just watching Meggie and Sapphire play and I have to say, in this regards, 2 is easier than one. They tire each other out. In case you don't know, adolescent dogs - - -.not so easy.

We really do need to take a foster break, so please, share my foster pups around!
They are fostered for Canine Commitment




Charlee thanks you!



Mrs Potatohead hits the trails with 4, yes 4

Armed with 4 cheese sticks and a pocket full of kibble I braved the woods with my 4 charges this morning. On picture perfect fall days like this, what I really want to do is gallop on horseback at breakneck speed. Given that I haven't been on a horse in about 16 years, watching dogs run flat out and enjoy being dogs is the next best thing. I do have plans to get back in the saddle in the not too distant future. For many years I lived and breathed horses, but giving birth to a kid with special health needs really changed everything. It is true that adults cannot clear their minds, and after my son was born, all I could think about when I rode horses  was how selfish I was, and what would happen to him if anything happened to me. I would not say that I was afraid so much as I had clearly lost my edge.  I am ready to get some on my selfish self back.

Meanwhile, back in the woods.

A long way from the overcrowed shelter in Mississippi!!!

Great walk this morning with all 4 dogs behaving beautifully and staying close with excellent recall. Sapphire dragged a leash just in case, and  she was the best of the 4. Of course that could change as she becomes more confident and we start to see her true self, but the dog has spent her whole in a shelter and and keen to be with me. Look for a blog post soon on "Choose to hike." Basically I apply Dawn Jeks Choose to Heel principle to everyday, all of the time, and start just as soon as the new fosters arrive. Meggie and Sapphire have spent a lot of time following me around my yard and being rewarded for it.

You know you want to adopt me!

Our walk was not totally relaxing for me at least as I was in what I tell my students "Mrs Potatohead mode," and at all times was on the look out for any other dogs, vermin, or people, but we only saw one lone gentlemen who we met on the way into the woods.


Galloping dogs, It's a good thing.

12 year old tumor ridden Charlee out ran them all!

Howling Rain

It is howling rain here today.  A lot of my friends asked the question on various social media "what are you doing with your dogs in the rain?"


In our house howling rain deserves some howling.

Meet Sapphire, Meggie's workout buddy

In testing the principle are two dogs really easier than one, I agreed to take on a second foster. Well that is not totally honest. I agreed to take our latest charge, who my youngest has named Sapphire, after a plea from my good friend Victoria.  It's Victoria  who we can blame for all our recent fosters. Some of the talking points included, "she has no chance in the South, Life behind bars, she will be passed over for life, they really like her and we all want to give her a chance."

All right, enough already. Yes!


BUT I was thinking that having two young dogs would allow for them to run each other out. Last weekend, Meggie fell thougt the cracks of life. We went to the fair one day and it was quite rainy the next and on the end of the second day I ran to my car. When I came back, my sweet young pup joyfully jumped at my face and gave me two black eyes. I have since stepped up her exercise and training, but it is not the same as aerobic run run run with another young dog. So----while I tell people, "don't get a dog for your dog", looks like I am not practicing what I preach and the two dogs are having a blast. As an extra bonus Charlee and Finney are not being annoyed and in turn they like Meggie better these last 24 hours--which then in turn makes it harder to give her up.

Quite a few friends have questioned me about Meggie with other dogs and many thought she didn't like other dogs. She needs to be managed around new dogs and is leash reactive, but getting better.

Oh, she likes to play with other dogs.

Meggie is not a candidate for the dog park, and not a great choice for the horse barn I turned down. She needs to be managed closely at this time, but she is very in tune with people and takes direction well. In the right home, she will be a once in life time heart dog. I have no doubt. I am holding out for that person to find her. 

In the mean time, we are getting to know Sapphire and here is what we have learned so far:



-She is unsure about new people, but wants to be loved by them so much she will crawl on her belly like a reptile to see them.

-She  is a submissive pee-er . In the kennel when I picked her up, she soaked her plastic dog bed with pee and then swacked swack swacked the pee with her wagging tail and she soaked the kennel wall and floor. It was kind of funny in an OMG that better not happen at my house kind of way.

-Sapphire is an excellent jumper and jumped all 4 feet on my head outside yesterday, but she learned to sit in 3 morsels of cheese.

-She is wicked smart and athletic and has never done stairs, but picked them up right away. She likes girls better than boys but wants badly to trust. Oh and she loves toys.

Sapphire's personality meshes with mine. I love to tame the smart wild child and she has already had a fantastic loose leash walking session after hauling me nearly off my feet yesterday.

We are thrilled to report that the pee issue is already 99 percent better.Stay tuned, I see good things in store for this girl.

Beating the heat at Babb's Bridge

Meggie our foster puppy has been here for a full day, and we are madly in love with her 98 % of the time. The other 2 % may be deal breakers, but time will tell. Keeping in mind that she may never leave, it was a priority of mine to introduce her to water and teach her how to swim. I regret not doing this with Charlee and Finney when they were younger. They both like the water and they both can swim, but prefer not to.  I blame myself. Both we forced into my parents pool.


With the tempertaure  tipping the thermostat at close to 95 degrees, the question was where to take the dogs. I had seen photos of friend's dogs swimming at Shaw Park in Gorham, so after a few on line attempts to find out where it was, off we went.



In attendance were Meggie, Charlee and 5 kids. Two of mine, and three kids belonging to a good friend. We parked just after the quarry on Rt 237 in Gorham, in a little lot next to the Presumpscott River. I am still not sure if that is where we were supposed to be, but as far as the kids were concerned it was a big fat FAIL.

My 12 year old tumor toed wild child smiler.

Charlee and Meggie didn't think so. They loved it. We walked to the end of the hay field along the river and back, looking for a place to swim. The two dogs were thick as thieves and they both ran straight out. I broke my second cardinal rule of fostering and let Meggie off the leash. She didn't go anywhere and had a perfect recall (as I knew hoped she would). We broke our first foster rule earlier in the day when I had the pup snuggling on my bed for a while.

You would never know by the way the dogs ran flat out that the day was so hot if it hadn't been for the whining from the kids, but the river was to quote a middle schooler "gross". The water appeared "stagnant and slimy" and we didn't find an easy access for people, although Charlee had no problem getting in there to cool off.



We were all badly in need of a dip and middle schooler came up with the genius idea to drive a few miles to the covered bridge in Windham off River Road.

I cannot say enough superlatives about our morning. I kept both dogs on the leash, because I was watching 5 kids and 2 dogs and there is a road, although cars need to slow down to go through the bridge. The kids jumped off the rope swing, and caught frogs, and the dogs loved being in the water with us.

Meggie got a swim lesson. I picked her up and pointed her to shore.  This is a good way to teach a puppy to swim by the way. The first time, I held her body up a bit till she got the idea.

Here is her second attempt. She was a natural.

Don't these kids looks happy?

 

 

 

 I should have had them pose when we got back to the car after our first attempt at cooling off. They were so sweaty they all looked like they had already been swimming.

Charlee looks on while dumb ass teenagers jump from the top of the bridge. I was ready to call 911.