Mitzie is an Australian Shepherd / Cattle Dog mix rescued from the Mountain City TN Animal Shelter where she was about to be put down. I understand that the manager there called Steele Away Home and said, “PLEASE help me save this one.” One of our fosters drove two hours to pick her up. But once she got Mitzie home, it was obvious that it wasn’t going to work because Mitzie has a high prey drive and was after the cat and the chickens. So, here she is, at Piney Mountain.
Last updated: Aug. 6, 2018
Base Info:
Arrival date: July 17, 2018
Breed: Australian Shepherd Mix
Sex: Female
Age: @ 1 year
Weight: @50
Spay/Neutered: Yes
General Health: Excellent
Temperament: High energy when playing, but sweet and attentive, even a little clingy, when calm. Brilliantly smart!
Gets Along with Dogs: Defensive-aggressive at first, especially if she is confined and the others are not. Playful and open once she’s settled in. May be too energetic for some small dogs.
Gets Along with People: Yes
Housebroken/Crate Trained: Yes
History
Surrendered to an animal shelter by her owner because the family was moving.
High prey drive: cannot be trusted around cats, chickens, rabbits, ducks, or small wildebeests. This may have been misinterpreted: Mitzie loves to CHASE things, but may not be as focused on killing them as was thought. Still, I advise caution in this area.
High energy, she needs space to run. Walking on a leash is not sufficient all the time. She will walk on a leash, but is accustomed to being able to run.
Mitzie has a routine (hers not mine) of needing to get out in the yard at meal times (we feed at 7:00 am and 6:00 pm) so she can walk or run for 5 to 10 minutes and have a bowel movement. THEN she will return and be ready to eat. If I just give her her dish of kibble, she’ll sniff it, walk away, and refuse to eat until she gets her constitutional.
Mitzie has recovered well from her spay surgery and is again playful and happy.
Gallery
In roughly chronological order, newest at the bottom. Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Some pictures are linked to Doggy Tales or videos about Mitzie, click those to open the related story.
Yes, you may pet me.
Getting used to Rainy
I *like* this bouncy thing!
A first good look at Mitzie (vid)
(Video)
Blondie teaches Mitzie to play nicely.
Mitzie is fussy about toys, but she LIKES this one!
Mitzie and Dani get loud sometimes, but are mostly peaceful.
Callie has been through a rough time but is as sweet as can be. Abandoned by her original family, rescued by a kind-hearted soul, then brought to the Humane Society of Jefferson County (now C.A.R.E.), Callie quickly became a staff favorite. Testing positive for heartworms can be a death sentence for a shelter dog: treatment is expensive and requires a calm environment and close supervision, which are not available in most shelters. But this was not to be the case for Callie: the shelter staff made magic happen for her.
Last updated: March 6, 2020
To see what adventures Callie has had since then, Click Here to pull up a list.
Base Info:
Date of arrival: December 29th, 2017
Breed: Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Sex: Female
Age: 8 years
Weight: Approx 65 pounds
Spayed: Yes
General Health: Good except for being heartworm positive. Treatment for that is why she’s here at Piney Mountain Foster. That’s our specialty.
After treatment, she’s doing GREAT!
Temperament: Extra sweet, gentle, and loving. A great sense of humor!
History
A good deal of info has been posted to Facebook about Callie and her history. The following is my distillation of those accounts. You may read the original texts in the comments at the bottom of this page.
Callie was originally the family dog of a couple with kids. It appears Callie was kept pregnant much of the time and they sold the puppies. The couple split up and he left, leaving Callie and the kids with her. She claims Callie was his dog, and it seems she took out her feelings about this break-up on Callie, exiling her to existence outside the home.
The Mom and kids went away for 3 weeks, leaving Callie outside with no shelter, food or water. A gentleman who lives nearby took pity on Callie and started leaving food, water, and a blanket for her to lie on outside his door. When he passed away, his son came to clear out the house, found Callie and took her home with him. They fell in love with her.
Callie was pregnant and close to delivering. While Callie seemed gentle and calm, she did snap at the family’s Boston Terrier when he got too close once. The husband feared that their kids might get in the middle of a dog fight if they let her stay and took Callie to the Humane Society of Jefferson County.
H.S.J.C. (now C.A.R.E.) placed Callie with one of their long-time foster homes until Callie’s puppies were delivered and weaned. They had no incidents, indeed they loved her.
Once Callie came back to H.S.J.C. to seek adoption, she tested positive for heartworms. Being a “pit bull”, seven years old, and H.W. positive could have been her “three strikes: you’re out” that would send her to the euthanasia room. But because everyone loved her so much, members of the shelter staff determined to save her. Donors were contacted for the funds needed to pay for her H.W. treatment and Marie and I agreed to foster her through recovery.
This is what rescue is about: people working together, each doing what we can, to save the lives of abandoned or abused furbabies like Callie.
Known Issues & Progress
Callie has obviously littered several times. For all she’s been through, her temperament is surprisingly gentle and trusting.
Callie is heartworm positive, but the test was just slightly positive. We hoped to use a slow-kill method of treatment that will be less risky for an older dog. After seven months of treatment she is still testing positive. Slow kill *can* take up to two YEARS to clear a dog of heartworms. No one wants her to wait that long to find a forever home, so we’re starting the regular heartworm treatment process.
Housebreaking
Both former care-givers say she is already reliably housebroken. We too find this to be the case. No work to do here!
Gets Along With Other Dogs
Yes. She has already met all my dogs, large and small, and she has no trouble with any of them. Even Ricky (who barked menacingly at her when she arrived) has decided she’s a sweetheart and wants to play. Callie never returned menace for menace, generally just retreated and hid.
In the past week Callie has begun engaging in play: mostly with Josephine but sometimes with Blondie and occasionally she’ll try Cochise. She and Josie get pretty rough sometimes, but Josie instigates that.
People Skills
Callie is exceptionally loving, trusting, and affectionate. She likes to snuggle. She’s great with adults and kids. She desperately wants to be with people who will return her love.
A former caretaker’s daughter went to stay with her friend all weekend. When she came home Callie couldn’t stop loving on her and wagging that tail.
For the first couple of weeks, Callie was my shadow. She went everywhere I went: and ONLY where I went. Even when she needed to go outside to relieve herself, she would not leave the porch unless I went out to the yard with her. This was uncomfortable at 2:00 in the morning with me in just my PJs and 20 some-odd degree temps outside. In the last few days she has become comfortable enough to consider herself part of the “gang” and has been running outside with the other dogs, leaving me in the house. She no longer follows me everywhere, including the bathroom, but she does like to know exactly where I am at all times.
Miscellaneous
I have found Callie to be quite bright and eager to please, that makes her easy to train. She has learned our daily routine, and a few commands.
Yesterday I had Callie in the play yard. It was cold. The leash I use to move her from the bunk house to the play yard was looped in one hand as I watched her. When she had taken care of business and wanted to go back where it is warm, she walked up and slipped her head through the loop of the leash and looked up at me, “I’m ready to go in now. May we please go?” What a sweetie! She has since graduated to House Dog.
Callie became a Steele Away Home dog on January 20th because we were concerned about the length of time it was taking to get her treatment started. Slow kill is safe to do only if you catch it early. Julie at HSJC agreed and transferred her to us.
Just as we were ready to begin the Immiticide injections, Cedarwood Veterinary tested her to confirm a HW+ condition and the test came back NEGATIVE. We repeated the test to be sure, but Callie is clear of heartworms! We started her on a monthly preventative to keep her that way and thanked God that she did not have to go through the normal treatment.
Diet
4health Salmon and Potato kibble until March, 2020, then Southern States Naturals Lamb & Rice kibble.
In roughly chronological order, newest at the bottom. Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Some pictures are linked to Doggy Tales about Callie, click those to open the related story.
Callie’s original home: a window well!
Callie says, I LIKE this chair! Taken at a former home.
All snuggled in! Taken at a former home.
The Girls all go on a potty run together. Callie sports her new outer wear that helps ward off the cold.
Callie wants to help edit the video I’m working on.
But she can be bribed with sufficient amounts of cush.
There is a story to go with this: click da pic to read it.
Callie joins the “Around the table gang”
Looking MIGHTY comfortable now!
Callie earns bedroom sleeping privileges.
Yummm … may I have some of THAT?
Oops, BUSTED! No dogs on the sofa, and she knows it. But who could be angry with this face?
Callie and her friend Buddy are ardent sun worshipers.
Callie: Sun Puppy
Callie says, “Ears up girls.” Blondie says, “Okay.” Josie says,”Hey, no fair!”
Weasel Hunter! (click me video)
“In the Mood” to play (and dance) Video
Who — me? NO, I wasn’t wrestling with this blanket.
Callie and Rainy peaceably share space at treat time.
Tell me a bedtime story?
I ask, “Who wants to go outside with me”? (vid)
Callie loves her new ropey toy (vid)
Callie LOVES truck-riding! Especially up front.
Callie and Josie are bestest buds!
I have a BOOOONE!
Sitting like a lady
Callie tries negotiating with Rebel.
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To see what adventures Callie has had since then, Click Here to pull up a list.
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Josephine came to us with a request. We were sympathetic because poor little Josephine has had a hard road through life. When she became known to us she had been a pregnant stray, was mangy and terrified of being in an animal shelter. She came here as a foster dog for rest, healing, and sanity.
After working with her for a while we decided that the best thing for her … was to stay here.
Since then, she has met many foster dogs. She really liked some of them.
Fosters are sent away once they are healed and trained. That’s how fostering works. Recently Josie heard us discussing plans for our current foster dogs, became upset, and approached us with an urgent request …
Lee at Animal Control gave the name Daenerys (Day-Nare-Is) to this sweet girl. Paige (also at A.C.) says, “She (Daenerys) is an exiled queen in a fictional book series that is trying to overcome the madness surrounded by her family name while trying to take back her kingdom. Quite a fitting name for her I believe ”
Last updated: Aug. 6, 2018
Base Info:
Arrival date: July 07, 2018
Breed: Labrador/Husky Mix
Sex: Female
Age: 1 year, maybe less.
Weight: 38 pounds
Spay/Neutered: Yes
General Health: Excellent
Temperament: Mild, almost timid
Gets Along with Dogs: Yes
Gets Along with People: Yes
Housebroken/Crate Trained: No
History
Acquired from Newport Animal Control because they were full and would have to “make room” if a few dogs weren’t pulled by rescue. Nothing else is known about her.
Dani is a sweet, laid back dog. So much so that I had to CARRY her out to the truck from Animal Control because she would not walk on a lead. She was up jumping on the door of her kennel and barking happily at me while I was on the other side of the door, but when I slipped inside with her she hunkered on the floor and got real quiet.
Once she settled in here at Piney Mountain, she came out of her shell and has become a friendly, playful dog. She still resists walking on a lead, but she does “come” when called and will go “In your room” for a treat. She enjoys rowdy play and racing around the play yard with other dogs. She gets along with everyone. She’s a little protective of her food.
Gallery
In roughly chronological order, newest at the bottom. Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Some pictures are linked to Doggy Tales or videos about Daenerys, click those to open the related story.
Dani is settling in nicely.
“NOooo, I’m staying in my safe place.”
Open door does not tempt Dani! “Noo, I’m staying.” (vid)
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FEATURED VIDEO
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She takes obedience of my commands to a new level! (vid)
One last play session for these two friends.
Waiting to board The Bus to Jersey!
If you enjoy our updates, Doggy Tales, and educational articles consider subscribing for notices when new pieces are posted. It’s painless and you can unsubscribe any time you want. Your e-mail address is used ONLY to deliver these notices.
