Ty Steele: Notes On A Rescue Dog

Posted on: October 31, 2017 by: Doug Comments: 2 Comments

Ty arrived here on October 29th, 2017. What we know of him is from scraps gathered here and there from different people.

He’s 7 to 10 months old and not yet neutered.
Australian Shepherd mix.
He weighs about 25 pounds.
He’s good with other dogs.
Is great with older children.
Loves car rides.
Is leash trained.
Is crate trained.
Is house trained.
Is non-destructive of bedding and toys.

Ty’s History

Ty was an apartment dweller, which is hard enough for an active dog, but that apartment was located above a BBQ restaurant! Can you imagine the torture that was for him? So that was not very successful; which is not surprising since he is an Australian Shepherd. (Aussie’s are true working breeds: unemployment does not sit well with these guys! Since being here he has assigned himself as Head Beagle Herder — much to Josephine’s chagrin.)

Roscoe: Police Dog Wannabe

Posted on: October 30, 2017 by: Doug Comments: 1 Comment

Roscoe is a large, powerful “pit bull” who has been a long time resident of Newport Animal Control (Tennessee). Because of breed specific prejudice, “pit bull” type dogs are often less adoptable than other breeds. Although this is completely undeserved.

Roscoe’s presence here is different from most dogs we care for because he continues to reside at N.A.C. but comes here for Day Camp sessions to be evaluated and trained for application to the Universal K9 program, which trains “pit bulls” to be police dogs and is funded by the Animal Farm Foundation, Inc.

When I first met Roscoe, I have to say, he was frightening.

Cochise Goes to the Vet

Posted on: October 24, 2017 by: Doug

Cochise, on bacon — Cochise tells the tale

After NiceLady left us to go off on her daily all-day-long-car-ride, HairyFace put my harness on me.

Blondie Bear and I got excited because that means we’re going off-property. I don’t need to wear the harness when I’m in my yard, just to go out on a leash. My muscular neck is bigger around than my head, so no collar will keep me securely on a leash if I want to get off. The harness does. Looks cool too: like a biker-dog.

Blondie Bear got upset when Hairy told her she needed to stay home. She huffed and harrfed at us while Hairy and I went out and loaded into the truck.

When we got to the end of our driveway, we turned right, not left: we were not going to the trash place … where were we going? The drive-through cookie store?

Pit Bulls We Loved Before They Were Feared

Posted on: October 24, 2017 by: DougB Comments: 2 Comments

According to nationalpitbullawarenessday.org, Jodi Preis of Bless the Bullys, a non-profit rescue and education effort in Tennessee, introduced the idea of National Pit Bull Awareness Day in 2007 and it took off like wildfire. Now, the entire month of October is known as National Pit Bull Awareness Month, while devotees of pit bulls recognize October 27th across the country as National Pit Bull Awareness Day.

National Pit Bull Awareness Day (NPBAD) is a day of appreciation and education designed to change perceptions and stereotypes about pit bulls and their responsible owners. NPBAD was established to educate and foster positive communications and experiences in the communities in which we and our dogs live, and it is an initiative dedicated to restoring the image of the American Pit Bull Terrier.

It is well known that pit bulls, and pit-mixes, are at the current target of breed specific legislation, discrimination, and negative bias among the nation’s media and government. Despite continued efforts by supporters, much of the general public is overwhelmingly misinformed about the breed and hold to a fear-filled image created by humans who exploit the dogs, not the breed itself.

The De-Bageling of Buddy the Beagle Boy

Posted on: October 18, 2017 by: Doug

Almost three months ago this sweet, loving, senior Beagle was attacked by three large dogs and torn to shreds. The skilled hands at Cedarwood Veterinary Hospital stitched him back together, with little hope that he would survive. But survive he did!

The last of his injuries to heal up has been a triangular patch on his rump where the skin was torn away and lost.

Click the thumbnails to enlarge each picture
Outline shows original missing skin.	Scar tissue cutting in under granulation (lump).
After granulation removed	Progress by October 10th.

All of the time since he came out of surgery, he has been wearing an e-collar: Cedarwood used a cone, but we switched to an inflatable Kong collar when he came here for recovery care.

Sylvia’s Dust-up

Posted on: October 11, 2017 by: Doug

Sylvia is a Shar Pei mix. Shar Peis have a reputation for belligerence if not handled properly. Add to that a history of having come from a hoarding situation. She came into rescue and foster care as a scared, confused dog. Her first foster home helped her get past the fear and some of her aggression.

When she started visiting here, she would wander our play yard with a mixture of us dogs in the yard with her, and she was fine with all of us. She basically just ignored us as she went about sniffing and peeing on everything.

When she moved in to live here and got settled, she started thinking of this less as a park and more as home — and she got a bit territorial. But, Blondie Bear was the only one she really had any issue with — and we never figured out why. Blondie IS a mentor and Play Yard Trainer, but is the sweetest, most gentle girl you could ever meet.

But Sylvia started out with some dominance challenges:

Buddy Beagle’s Big Bacon Score

Posted on: October 6, 2017 by: Doug

HairyFace was in the food room fixing bacon and eggs for breakfast because it was breakfast time and the food room is where Peoples fix food. Usually. Sometimes NiceLady fixes food in the picture-box watching room using the box of fire in the wall. But that’s only when it’s cold, and only on occasion.

We like bacon and eggs. He gives each of us a little on our kibbles when the Peoples get bacon and eggs for breakfast. Hairy was by the food-cooker-thing. He pealed off a few strips of bacon and put them on the flat pan. He set the rest of the bacon aside while he poured egg stuff into the pan with sides. NiceLady was by the food vault at the other end of the counter, doing something. She opened the food vault door.

Hairy turned to put the rest of the brand new package of bacon back into the food vault, but it wasn’t where he left it. He assumed Lady had put it away for him since she was in there. He went back to cooking.

Booker: No Longer the Bounding Basher

Posted on: October 3, 2017 by: Doug

When Booker arrived here he was a 70 pound puppy with no training or discipline at all. He’s friendly and happy, and playful, but had no concept of how big he is. As a result, he’d jump up on me, inadvertently leaving claw marks, and knocking me off balance. Fortunately I am still able to stand up to that.

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been working with him to instill some basic dog/people etiquette. That is coming along well.