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!

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!

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.