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Pipe Dreaming About Kennels

Piney Mountain Foster Care currently has three outdoor kennels that measure 10 feet wide by 10 feet deep by 6 feet high.  We also have indoor crates so each of these three dogs can be moved inside the “bunkhouse” during inclement weather.

In thinking about future improvements, my thoughts tend to run along two channels:

  1. Motivated by the constant plea of “Does anyone have room for this poor darling?” it would seem sensible to add more kennels and crates to increase my capacity,
  2. Or I could repair/upgrade the facilities I have and maintain the current capacity to focus on providing the specialized care that I am often called upon to give dogs with certain needs.

Bigger, Better, More

The garage that the two adjoined kennels are next to is 24 feet long, enough for three 8 foot wide kennels.  Leaving a narrow aisle (2 feet) and having two more 8 x 10’s across from them (leaving space for steps into the end of the trailer that is bunkhouse and workshop and a passage to the shop driveway)  and then one more 8×10 snugged up beside the trailer on the driveway side, sort of by itself, but not really.  This would be good for an aggressive dog that would tend to attack the fencing between kennels to get at his neighbor.

Because of the slope, the 24’ by 22’ concrete slab will have to be stepped: 3 kennels and the walkway on the lower level, the other two kennels on the step-up.  I also want a floor drain running down the middle of the walkway to channel rain and hose water toward the trailer where the drain tiles will take it out to the ditch that runs alongside the shop driveway.

Tunneling prevention

The kennels we have are mounted atop wooden timbers.  This serves as visual impediment for diggers.  I try not to leave gaps that will catch a dog’s eye and cause them to think, “heyyyyy, I wonder …”.  This also helps prevent rust in the lower rails and gives me low walls (3”) that I can fill with pea gravel.  There is rock cloth under the gravel, but if a dog decides to start digging, neither the loose gravel nor the rock cloth will stop them.  But the fact that the kennels are sitting on what was once our driveway and is made of compacted clay and gravel does slow them down.  I have not had one dig out of a kennel yet.  Some have dug pits, but no tunnels.

The idea of putting all kennels on concrete slabs is an upgrade to insure I retain that record.  I don’t care how determined a dog is, they can’t dig out through a 4 inch thick (or better) concrete slab.  Even a Beagle.  Beagles can be fiendishly clever, but they do have limits. It would also aid in cleaning and disinfecting kennels between dogs.

We went with pea gravel floors because it’s supposed to be easier on a dog’s joints than laying on concrete.  But we also provide a dog house (with insulated floor) and raised dog beds.  So they have options to the concrete for comfort.

And then there’s the Dream Kennel roof.  Right now the left side of the garage roof and the right side of the kennel roof channel rain water into the slot between both.  In a heavy rain, that kennel roof might as well not be there because those kennels get soaked.

My pipe dream is to build a sloped shed style roof from that hip in the garage roof that will reach out over both rows of kennels and the walkway between AND offer at least a foot of overhang on all three sides.  I’ve been thinking wood roof with shingles – and posts and support beam running along one side of the walkway so the rafters don’t have to be steel I beams or something.

Focus on Special Care

The problem with packing in as many dogs as I possibly can is that the reason some of them come here will be sacrificed.  I am known among our rescue group as a dog whisperer because of my past success in rehabilitating dogs with behavioral issues that made them seem nonredeemable.  At least two were saved from destruction because of their behaviors.  I also accept dogs that are to undergo heartworm treatment and other medical issues that make them more of a burden than most fosters are willing to take on.

Dealing with these issues takes a considerable investment of time and effort on top of the routine potty breaks and play time that all fosters get.  Since I am doing this alone I can only, realistically, handle a couple of high-care dogs at a time.

We currently have two dogs that we adopted, and two more long term fosters (here for life) that live in the house with us.  Three outside fosters makes seven dogs.  Adding 3 more would make 10 dogs to care for on a full time basis.  Not all of whom will get along with all of the others, and a few would need intensive care of one kind or another.  Am I ABLE to do that by myself?  I’m not sure I can.  If the special care is my focus, three kennels is enough.  Upgrade them to improve security and comfort (slab and good roof) and stick with three.

Balancing Act

Of course it doesn’t have to be a black and white case of maxing capacity or caring only for special needs dogs.  The two can be blended: maybe 4 kennels (the three along the garage and an isolation kennel) with one of those a special needs dog.

And there is the fact that it wouldn’t matter if I had 20 kennels, there would always be the call of “Can you take one more?”  In rescue, the dogs never stop coming, and never will until rampant breeding is ended and the population brought under control through spay/neuter regulations.

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Lennon Steele

Lennon (A.K.A. “Legs”) is a typical, young lab: playful and eager for attention. But for a lab, Lenny is unusually self-controlled and intelligent.

Last updated: June 15, 2019

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: January 21, 2019
  • Breed: Black Lab
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Young, Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: 53.5 pounds
  • Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Typical lab: playful and goofy.
  • Gets Along with Dogs: Yes
  • Gets Along with People: Yes
  • Housebroken: Yes
  • Crate Trained: Yes
  • Departure date: June 15

History

Lennon was picked up as a stray. He was an emaciated 36 pounds. Newport Animal Control put some weight back on him and he’s looking good and looking for a home.

Progress Notes:

Detailed update notes on our foster dogs are posted regularly. For a listing of updates that include Lennon [click here]. A summation and some photos are included below.

Dog to Dog Behavior

  • Plays well with other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Jumps up on people: No
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: Getting better

House Dog Training

  • Willingly enters his crate: Yes
  • Is calm/quiet while in crate: Yes
  • Understands going outside to potty: Yes
  • Alerts me of need to go outside: Yes
  • Is destructive of bedding and/or toys
    Yes (when bored)
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: Yes
  • Stays off people furniture: Yes

Commands:

  • Comes when called: Yes
  • Sits on command: Sometimes
  • Down / Off: Yes
  • Shake / Paw: No
  • Crates on command: Yes

Medical

  • DA2PP: 11/26/2018 (Newport Animal Control)
  • DA2PP Boooster: 12/15/2019 (N.A.C.)
  • Bordatella: 11/2612018 (N.A.C.)
  • Wormed: 12/15/2018, Pyrantel Pamoate: 4.7 cc (N.A.C.)
  • Rabies: Jan 16, 2019 (Claws & Paws)
  • Neuter: Jan 16, 2019 (Claws & Paws)
  • Heartworm Test: Jan. 16, 2019 – NEGATIVE (Claws & Paws)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . Jan 25, NexGard, 50+ Lbs.
    . Feb 25, NexGard 50+ Lbs.
    . Apr 25, Effipro 45#+
    . May 1, Fipronil 45#-88#
    . June 1, Interceptor
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . Jan 16, 2019, HeartGuard
    . Feb 20, 2019 NuHeart
    . Mar. 25, 2019 HeartGuard
    . May 1, 2019 HeartGuard
    . June 1 2019 Interceptor

Other Notes:

Had Demodectic Mange. NexGuard, Cephalexin, and medicated shampooing got rid of it. Skin scrape exam by Cedarwood on 2/25/19 confirms mange is gone.

Found Lennon had pretty bad femoral head erosion in right hip due to an injury, not degradation. Femur reconstruction by Dr. David Crouch DVM was negotiated. On March 20 Dr Crouch decided Lennon was healing well and is not a candidate for surgery. Just continue his supplement.

Gallery

In roughly chronological order, newest at the bottom. Click the thumbnails to enlarge. Some pictures are linked to a Doggy Tale or video about Lennon, click those to open the related story or video.

Lennon, when he was picked up

Lennon, way too skinny.

Lennon’s NAC Promo photo

Lennon’s first civilized truck ride. (video)

Is that a UPS truck coming?!

I’d better get lots of treats for this.

Lennon Boxing Blondie Bear (Video)

You go on, I’m comfy here.

Lennon is a sprinter!

Enjoys an evening by the fire with big bone

Quiet play time destroying ropey toy

Being chill while I work at my desk.

This batch is about done, Doug, better take them out!

Lenny & Josie in a friendly game of tug

After an afternoon of hard play with The Girls a fella needs a nap!

Ready for bed, turn the light off please.

Lenny and Josephine like to snuggle.

Lennon snagged his foot and broke a nail clean off – OWIE!

One HAPPY truck rider!

PLEASE turn off the light so I can sleep!

Chillin on the Coolaroo

Lenny and friends aboard The Bus to Wisconsin.
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Foster Review for January 12th, 2019

Rebel

Rebel has been a pain in the back-side with his cone at night.  If I let him sleep on a tether he bashes the cone into every piece of furniture he can reach, knocking things over and moving anything not heavy enough to withstand him.  If I crate him he rubs the cone all around the inside of the crate making a ton of noise.  As a result, neither of is is getting much sleep — at night.  When I put him in his kennel outside, with his friends: Sable and Hudson, he is calm and quiet and takes many naps.  I wish *I* could nap!

On Monday night I checked his incision.  It looked good, so I took the cone off.  Rebel spent a good part of the night curled up licking himself despite my urging that he not do that.  But he was quiet and I got a good 5 hours of sleep.  Tuesday morning his belly was red and irritated and the incision has two angry red puffy spots.  So I sprayed him with Chlorhexadine and reinstalled the cone.

Gut repair kit

On Sunday I fed Rebel a small tub of yogurt for it’s probiotic value.  He surprised me by eagerly lapping it off the spoon and eating the whole tub.  That night his diarrhea was much better and we spent less time running to the door.  I plan to repeat this treatment twice a week to keep his gut in good working order.

Thursday night Rebel wanted to go outside around 11:00.  When he came back in I put him on his living room tether instead of putting him in his crate to sleep.  I stopped tethering him after his surgery because he’d spend the night bashing his cone into everything.  This time he came and wanted snuggles for a while, then laid down on a dog bed and went to sleep.  He re-positioned a couple of times during the night but did not ask to go out.  At 5:00 he woke me with a soft request to go use the yard.  When he came back we went to the den and I tethered him there and he went back to snoozing while I studied.

Breakfast time came.  He was getting hungry and fussy.  I took him out to his kennel with his bowl of kibble (he’s getting 2½ cups of kibble (4health Salmon & Potato)  twice a day – that’s over twice what he would get if he were at weight, but he’s still thin).  I brought Hudson and Sable out for breakfast and a potty run, but it’s cold this morning and still getting colder, so I put the other two back inside the bunkhouse and took Rebel in the house with me … hoping he would behave while the rest of us ate breakfast and did our morning things.

It has been a week since Rebel’s surgery.  I checked his incision and “bald spot”, it looks good.  I removed his cone.  That made him happy.

I put Rebel in his crate, set up a fan to blow air across him to keep him cool, and set about fixing breakfast.  Rebel was quiet and well behaved.

When it was time to eat I gave Rebel an Oinkie to chew on while the rest of us ate our breakfasts.  Rebel was content to work on that.

After breakfast I needed to go to the den to do some things.  I thought about taking Rebel with me so he wouldn’t fuss.  He has tended to do that when I leave the room he is in … but he has been doing better with that.  Marie was at her computer in the kitchen, so I left.  Rebel was good.  Marie left the room for a few minutes … Rebel remained quiet and calm!  It is now almost time to go get the others out for another potty run, and Rebel has been an angel.  He IS licking at himself, but I don’t think he can do any harm at this point — but I’ll watch it to be sure.

Saturday Morning: This is Rebel sitting in the den, where we spent the early morning together, using no tether. I left the room several times to do short jobs or let other dogs out and in again. Each time I said, “You stay here, I’ll be right back.” Each time he stayed and was calm and quiet. The only time he got vocal was when I dished up kibbles, I couldn’t blame him for that. Sleep-in-Saturday delayed breakfast and I was getting powerful hungry too!  I think we’ve about got that separation anxiety thing licked.

Go to Rebel’s Summary Page

Sable

Sable’s only issue has been her animosity toward Callie and the Beagles.  Callie encourages that animosity by taunting Sable when Callie is out loose in the yard.  So Sable’s reaction is likely predicated on the fact that she’s locked up and these others are not.  That seems to be born out in that when Sable is free and Buddy Beagle is in his Beagle Box, Sable checks him out, but offers no animosity at all.

Hudson

It’s difficult to find anything to report on about Hudson.  Other than my making the mistake of placing his dog house where her could get on top of it and reach the low edge of the roof tarp — so he did and shredded it because he got bored.  But that is my fault, not his, and I’m taking steps to prevent that from happening again with another dog.

Hudson was getting a little lax (selective deafness) on coming when I called him, but I’ve been working with him on that and he is again responding well.  Otherwise he’s still the same, lovable good-ol-boy hound he has always been.

Go to Hudson’s Summary Page

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The Rebel Run

After feeding the outside dogs their dinner I let them out of their kennels for a few minutes each to attend to “business”. When it was his turn Rebel was standing up dancing against the gate (he’s pretty tall when he stands up like that!) howling and yowling. I thought he must need to go really badly. As soon as the gate opened he was off like a greyhound, galloped two hot laps around the big yard then dashed back into his kennel and stood on his bed looking at me expectantly, “I’m done now. I’m ready for my treat. I just needed a good run.” Silly boy!

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Go to Rebel’s Summary Page

Foster Review for Jan 6th, 2019

Hudson

Hudson has been accepted by Eleventh Hour rescue in New Jersey and is slated to depart on the January 18th rescue run .

His health remains great and he has no behavioral issues other than not being fond of Rebel.  That still seems to hinge on their mutual admiration of Sable.  Animosity between them escalates when I let one or the other out to play with her.  Individual play times reduce hostilities.  Before either was neutered it could get tense.

Go to Hudson’s Summary Page

Sable

Learning table dining.

Sable is doing well.  Her health is good and she remains affectionate toward me and all of her sitters who helped out while Marie was in the hospital and I was away so much.

We did have one incident.  Sable and Callie have never gotten along.  Callie is antagonistic in that she stands outside Sable’s kennel and barks at her, irritating her.  Sable barks back.  Callie seems to think it’s some kind of game.  But it’s a dangerous game.

Marie accidentally let Callie out while I had Sable and Rebel out in the yard for play time.  I did not see who attacked who, but since Marie said Callie was insistent on going out, I suspect she started the fight that had Callie and Sable locked onto each other while Rebel dashed in to make strikes on Callie.  I managed to separate the girls while fending off Rebel and get them all back to their kennels to assess damage.

Both girls sustained punctures which I dressed with Neosporin and started each on a course of Cephalexin to ward off infection.  No tears or other wounds that would need sutures: all minor damage that has since healed up well.  But this did not improve their relationship.

As to Sable’s animosity toward the Beagles, this seems to be conditional.  When Sable is in her kennel and one or both of the Beagles are wandering around in the yard, Sable barks at them in a decidedly unfriendly way.  When Buddy is the one incarcerated, Sable pays him no mind.

I’m told that S.A.V.E. would like to take Sable, but the van for the next run is full.  She should be leaving on the February 1 rescue run.  So I have that long to continue helping her to improve her interpersonal skills … or rather her interdogonal skills.

Go to Sable’s Summary Page

Rebel.

Rebel was neutered last Friday.  He did well and was not licking through that first day, but that night as we were settling in to sleep, he became insistent on licking.  I coned him.  He hated that.  I have not slept much since.  That’s his payback to me.  He’s SUCH a Husky!

The incision site was red and puffy the next morning so I treated it with Chlorhexadine.  It is looking much better now.  I’m hoping that by Monday night the incision will be sealed up enough to take the cone off.

Rebel’s involvement in the Callie vs Sable fight made things tense for a while because Callie was defensive against Rebel’s presence in the house.  That morphed into a defense of me from Rebel.  She is no longer hostile to Rebel, just stays close to me when Rebel is inside.  She even sleeps in the living room with us as my bodyguard.

Rebel peacefully coexisting in a room with Callie and Blondie

For Rebel’s part, right after the fight he decided that blood sport was fun and was acting on that toward all the other dogs.  But that was easy to break him of and he is again coexisting with all the other dogs, even Callie.  Now that he’s neutered, his nature should become even less confrontational.

On of the reasons Rebel has been so restless at night has been the return of diarrhea, necessitating frequent trips outside.  That started Saturday night.  Friday night was actually pretty peaceful one he finished rubbing the cone all over the inside of his crate in a tantrum.  About midnight he settled down.  Saturday his needs kept us running for the door.  Today I offered him a small tub of yogurt for the probiotics it contains.  I spoon fed it to him.  He surprised me by eating the whole tub!  Maybe that will help his tummy tonight.

Go to Rebel’s Summary Page

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A Beagley New Year

Marie and I don’t go out to whoop it up on New Years Eve.  We’re not into parties and crowds and drunk drivers, so we stay home with our dogs and have a more personal celebration.

Normally we do a meal that we can stretch out through the evening and have a themed movie marathon.  It’s a different theme each year.  This year we decided to watch episodes of the 1962 season of The Twilight Zone and eat Mexican food.

Marie made a pot of chili, we had chimichangas, and burritos, and for desert, pies cooked in the fireplace with a pie iron.

Rod Serling seems to have been obsessed with death in 1962.

I put Sable and Hudson to bed, and brought Rebel in the house, around 9:30.  Rebel watched the TV for a bit, then got bored and laid down.

Around 11:00 we all burned out and decided to go to bed.  All except Blondie: she said, “You folks have gone crazy.” and went to bed around 9:00.  The next morning …

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