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I Was Born a Poor Black Lab

One of Highland’s favorite dog toys is — or was — a snake plush toy that has been gutted, leaving just the “skin”.  But Highland likes it a lot.  It’s his favorite crate toy.

Highland was neutered on Sunday.  He absolutely insisted on licking at his incision.  That’s bad, he must not do that.  I tried to dissuade him, but as soon as I looked away, he curled up and began licking.  So I tried putting him in an inflatable doughnut collar.  He defeated that.  SO I had to put him in a cone.

That upset him.  But rather than trying to rip the cone off, as many others have done, he became dejected.  His reaction reminded me of Steve Martin’s “And this is all I need” skit in the movie “The Jerk” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VbI5zcB8Ac if you’ve never seen it).

I cannot say that in the days since then Highland has become “happy” about the cone.  But once he mastered coming up the back steps while wearing it (at first I had to climb the steps with him, holding the rim of the cone up so it didn’t catch on the steps and flip him sideways) he lightened up.  Once he discovered that the thing can be “weaponized” and used to aggravate the other dogs (and us) he has decided it’s kind of fun.  He especially likes coming up behind Buddy Beagle and scooping Buddy’s hindquarters up in the cone.  Buddy hates that.  Highland thinks it’s funny.

Still, it’s not likely that he will be upset when I take it off of him in a few more days.  Just one more experience along his path to a forever home.

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Highland Houdini

I took Highland to the veterinarian today because he’d developed a nasty cough. Which, of course disappeared today. They needed to take his harness off to take a chest X-ray. He LIKED running around “nekked”.

After his exam we went back to the waiting room. It was packed! Lots of friendly folks to pet him and comment how handsome and happy he is. Several cats to say howdy to as well. When he started sniffing at things in that special way, I decided to take him out to the grass. Good thing too. When he was empty I decided not to take him back into the waiting room, but put him back in my truck. I clipped his safety strap on the passenger seat to his harness and locked the doors. I could see him through the waiting room window and checked on him frequently. Sometimes he was sitting up looking back at me, sometimes he was not visible, I figured he was laying down resting.

When I’d gotten his meds and settled the bill I went outside. A young fella was sitting in a large pick-up next to my truck. He rolled his window down and said, “He’s quite a Houdini! He was out of his collar almost as soon as you left him. He’s loose, be careful when you open the door!”

That amazed me, Highland had never even tried to get out of his harness before. I thanked him for the heads-up and VERY carefully slid in the drivers side door. Sure enough, the harness was laying loose on the seat, still clipped closed, but with no Highland inside it. He was bouncing around doing his Mr. Wiggles bit and grinning ear to ear.

That boy DOES like getting “nekked!”

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Samson Steele: Notes on a foster dog

Samson has had a pretty good life, except for having been discarded twice. Now he’s a Steele dog and we hope to find him a forever home.

Last updated: Oct 19, 2018

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Oct 13, 2018
  • Breed: Staffordshire Bull Terrier
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Young, Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: @ 58 Pounds
  • Spay/Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Good
  • Temperament: Docile, friendly
  • Gets Along with Dogs: Yes
  • Gets Along with People: Yes
  • Housebroken/Crate Trained: Yes
  • Departure date: Oct. 19, 2018 (transfer)

History

He was adopted from a shelter in Blountville TN in August of 2017. In October of 2018, Samson was surrendered to Newport Animal Control because his family was moving to Government Assisted Housing and Sampson exceeds the size/weight limit for dogs in that project. He is reported to be good with children, dogs, and cats. They also said he was in obedience training in Greenville and had completed 3 of the 4 classes in that program.

Known Issues & Progress

He needs a grain-free diet — which he has not been getting and his skin is in pretty rough shape right now. He is accustomed to being an in-house dog and we can’t do that right now, which makes him upset.

Another Steele Away foster home has agreed to take Samson and provide in-home foster care. Sam will be much happier that way and will retain his Housebroken medal of merit. He’s leaving Oct 19, 2018. Mike and Jeanne will probably post pictures to Facebook. You can look for him there.

Medical

  • DA2PP: 08/04/2017 (Sullivan County, Bluff City, Kingsport Animal Center)
  • Bordatella: 08/04/201 (SBK Blountville)
  • Wormed: 08/04/2017, Pryantel: 6cc (SBK Blountville)
  • Rabies: 01/09/2018 (Margret B. Mitchel Spay/Neuter Clinic, Bristol, VA)
  • Spay/Neuter: 01/09/2018 (Margret B. Mitchel Spay/Neuter Clinic)
  • Flea/Tick preventative: Oct 16, Advantage, 3ml
  • Heartworm preventative: dates, product, dose
  • Heartworm Test/

Gallery

In roughly chronological order, newest at the bottom. Click the thumbnails to enlarge. Some pictures are linked to Doggy Tales and videos about NAME, click those to open the related story or video.

Samson is an athletic fellow. (VIDEO)

He has amazing eyebrows!

He loves snoozing in the sunshine.
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Lady Steele: Notes on a foster dog

Lady’s big smile and slick dance moves caught our eye when she was at Animal Control.

Last updated: Oct 11, 2018

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Sept 26, 2018
  • Breed: Black Lab / Staffordshire
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: Young, Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: @ 50 Pounds
  • Spay/Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Excellent
  • Temperament: Playful, friendly
  • Gets Along with Dogs: Yes
  • Gets Along with People: Yes
  • Housebroken/Crate Trained: No
  • Departure date: October 12, 2018

History

Picked up as a stray by Newport Animal Control. Became a long-term inmate and was on the “at risk” list, so Steele Away Home pulled her and placed her with us for foster care.

Known Issues & Progress

Quite clingy. Acts out when I leave her. She needs confidence.
10/11 Still gets vocal when I leave the yard or am working with another dog, but no longer destructive. She also has calmed down and enjoys getting petted.

Lady gets along fine with her neighbor, Ugg, and has been in the yard with Blondie Bear. Lady wants to play, Blondie isn’t sure of her yet. No hostilities on either side.
10/11 They have had several play sessions. These tend to be short because Lady gets into “trash-talking” and I shut that down. Lady gets along fine with Blondie. They occasionally play together, but that’s a whole other game: much more tame.

Lady was quite destructive when she decided she didn’t want to be where she was! But that has gotten better now that she’s settling into a schedule and knows I will be around in a while (several times a day) to let her out to play.

She knows, “come”, “sit”, “down/off” and “in your room”

Medical

  • DA2PP: 09/01/2018 (by N.A.C.)
  • Bordatella: 09/01/2018 (by N.A.C.)
  • Wormed: Oct 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Fendbendazole: 10 ml, (by P.M.F.C.)
  • Rabies: Oct 5, 2018 (Paws & Claws)
  • Spay/Neuter: Oct 5 (Paws & Claws)
  • Flea/Tick preventative: Oct 5, Advantage
  • Heartworm preventative: Oct 6, Nu Heart
  • Heartworm Test/Treatment: Oct 5 – Negative (Paws & Claws)

Gallery

In roughly chronological order, newest at the bottom. Click the thumbnails to enlarge. Some pictures are linked to Doggy Tales and videos about Lady, click those to open the related story or video.

You WILL take me home won’t you?

Lady
Lady & Blondie get acquainted

Lady says something is in the woods

Feeling yucky, but still happy to see me (video)

Lady playing with Ugg (video)

Lady plays w Blondie Bear (video)
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Low Rider Steele: Notes on a foster dog

Judging by her behavior, this little punkin has had a rough life: She was terrified of the outdoors, afraid of coming out of her crate, and reacted to new people by hunkering down on the floor.

Last updated: Oct. 23, 2018

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Oct. 2, 2018
  • Breed: Beagle mix
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: Young, Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: @ 40 Pounds
  • Spay/Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Good
  • Temperament: Timid but friendly
  • Gets Along with Dogs: Yes
  • Gets Along with People: Yes, once she gets to know you.
  • Housebroken/Crate Trained: Crate trained for sure, may be pee-pad trained. At first she didn’t want to go outside, doesn’t know what to do when she got there. She’s learning to like it.
  • Departure date: Oct 12, 2018

History

Low Rider was picked up off the streets of Newport by a good Samaritan who saw her scuttling around, absolutely terrified. This person took her to Animal Control, where she went unclaimed. Steele Away Home pulled her.

Known Issues & Progress

Low Rider is eager for attention and happily wiggles her butt when we approach, but is afraid to go to anyone at first. She was also terrified of outdoors. She would not walk on a leash if a collar was used, but is doing better with a harness. She is already coming out of her shell.

She is overweight, needs a restricted diet to get that under control.

Medical

  • DA2PP: 10/03/2018 (PMFC)
  • Bordatella: 10/03/2018 (PMFC)
  • Wormed: Oct 4, 5, & 6, Fendbendazole: 8 ml (PMFC)
  • Rabies: Oct 5, 2018 (Paws & Claws)
  • Spay/Neuter: Oct 5, 2018 (Paws & Claws)
  • Flea/Tick preventative: Oct 5, Advantage
  • Heartworm preventative: Oct 6, Nu Heart
  • Heartworm Test: Oct 5, 2018 (Paws & Claws) Negative

Gallery

In roughly chronological order, newest at the bottom. Click the thumbnails to enlarge. Some pictures are linked to Doggy Tales and videos about Low Rider, click those to open the related story or video.

 

Seriously? Don’t you have a harness that fits?

You said “go out in the grass” here is grass.

But I’d rather go back to my room.

Getting loooowwww

Chatting w Callie

Chillin on the porch
.

Meeting the Brotherhood of Beagles
.
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Progress Notes: Oct 7, 2018

We’ve taken in two new pack members this week, and are planning another facilities upgrade.

Low Rider

Seriously? Don’t you have a harness that fits?

I picked up Low Rider on Tuesday.  She went straight into a crate in the bunkhouse for several reasons.

  • She was infested with fleas.  We work hard to keep fleas out of our facility, so that has to be dealt with before she can come anywhere near our other dogs.
  • She is fearful.  She’s obviously been abused and is frightened of new people, insects, falling leaves, and the outdoors in general.  But not dogs: she ran right up to Ugg and Lady and said howdy to each.  She’s only comfortable in a crate and prefers a quiet environment to herself.  The bunkhouse is perfect now that it’s not so hot every day.  I can run my big turbo fan in front of a window and keep it tolerable in there.
  • She would not walk on a leash.  If used with a collar, she’d drop and gator-roll trying to get away from it.  A harness works better, but it has to be removed when she goes back into her crate or she’ll chew it up.  We lost a $30 Walk-Rite harness learning that lesson.  The next smallest harness I had was a poor fit, but it served the purpose while I ordered more harnesses.

Progress Notes: Oct 1, 2018

When Blue left on transport, Ugg was so lonely!  The poor thing!

But we got him a new neighbor, Lady, and he’s much happier now.  Neither of them has been “fixed” yet so I am hesitant to let them play in the yard together.  But having a neighbor again makes him happy.

Ugg has come a long way on his behavior recently.  He has a strong desire to please me, so that makes it easy to train him.  I only have to be clear on what I expect of him and he complies.  He now understands that it is not okay to stand up, put his paws on my chest and butt me in the face with his nose.  He also understands that mouthing my hands or arms are not good things either.

Once in a while, when particularly excited to be let out of his kennel, he will forget and try to grab my arm, but a stern, “No” reminds him.  All my bruises have healed up now!

He no longer “attacks” me with affection when I let him out of his kennel.  The No Nip Trick worked well to focus his attention elsewhere, so now he knows that when first released he should run out into the yard to sniff, pee and poop as needed.  Then, when calmed down, he comes back and we do some calm, affection.

Ugg no longer sees his kennel as “confinement”, but as his “room”.  He has not bent anything trying to force the door in quite a while.  I still use the chain reinforcement at night and when I leave the property, but just the double latches during the day when I’m here.

When Ugg is in play time, he sometimes tells me that he’s done playing by going into his room, sitting on his bed, and looking at me to say, “I’m done playing now, bring me my cookie.”  If I hand him the cookie, he often envelops my whole hand with his big mouth, but he’s really gentle about it.  I think he’s kidding around.

If I tire before he does and give him the “In your room” command, most of the time he will comply right away.  Sometimes he stands and looks at me with a, “I’m not done yet” look.  Once in a while he has not moved his bowels yet and will ignore me until he does that, then gallops over to go in his room.  Other times, he is just being obstinate and will go back to sniffing or walking around.  if I say, “Ugg, you’re being a bad boy” he walks to his room, “Oh, okay.”  He’s not happy, but he complies.

One of his new tricks is to come over and sit on my feet with his back to me, them sit up tall and lean back against my legs.  I hold onto him and scratch his chest, he licks my arm.  This is our compromise to his jumping on me and mouthing my arms.  He wants affection and close contact, this is a more appropriate way of getting it.  And he worked this out on his own!

Ugg has become fastidious about not pooping in his kennel.  This has happened only once in the past couple of weeks, and that was my fault, not his.  It was raining hard and I didn’t let him out on time.  A fella can hold it only so long.  If I’m running late, he will fuss and bark to remind me that he has needs too.  He should be easy to house break, he’s already mostly there.

He still gets upset when I leave the property, but has not chewed up anything, nor damaged his kennel (lately).  I think he’s getting used to the idea that I DO come back if I go away.

An adoptive home for him will need a friend for him if he is to be left alone sometimes.  And I’d recommend a sturdy crate if he’s to be kept indoors, or a strong kennel if kept out doors while the family is away.  As he learns to trust, the separation anxiety will go away and he’ll be less likely to chew up things in frustration.  He’s really calm and docile when crated, as long as he is released often enough to see to his bodily needs.

He walks well on a leash using a front-clip harness.

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