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Foster Notes

Lucy Steele: Notes on a foster dog

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Lucy was traded to us for one of our foster dogs because Lucy liked to chase her former foster parent’s cat.

Last updated: March 12, 2018

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: February 24th, 2018
  • Breed: Staffordshire Bull Terrier
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: 1 year plus
  • Weight: 50 pounds
  • Spay/Neutered: Yes: Mar. 12, 2018
  • General Health: Good
  • Temperament: Good

History

Our rescue received a call from a woman in Morristown who found Lucy in the middle of a road and took her home. Lucy did not get along with her dog and was too strong for the lady to control. Lucy went into one of our foster homes, but wanted to eat their cats, and was too strong for her foster mom to handle. So she’s here now and I’ll see if I can’t help her settle in and accept her role in our pack.

Known Issues & Progress

When Lucy arrived here with her foster parents, she got along with me just fine. We made the trade, getting Sasha out of a pen, Lucy in, and Sasha loaded into their car. As they were leaving, I let Lucy out of the pen to explore the big play yard. She walked beside me calmly.

She caught sight of their car as it descended our long driveway that runs beside the play yard. She looked at me, looked back at the car, then started whimpering! She ducked her head, tucked her tail, and slunk back to the pen. When I approached, she started barking at me with vehemence. She has since been doing her best to chew through the fencing or dig out and barks threateningly at me when I approach.

Feb 26th: By Saturday evening I was able to get Lucy to let me come into her pen and chat with her. We are friends now. On Sunday she wanted to crawl into my lap and snuggle.

People Skills

Once she got past her hurt over being moved again she has been sweet and friendly. She knows her name, comes on command, sits, shakes (paw), has learned, “In your room”. During play time she likes to race around at full speed. Sometimes she involves me in her play, not always gently. Once we became friends, she did come over while I was sitting in a chair outside and draped herself across my lap so she could snuggle a bit and I could pet her. She seems sweet, now that she’s no longer angry.

Gets Along With Other Dogs

She has dominance issues with some other dogs. She has given her neighbor, Kringle, no problems and she has been in the yard with Buddy (a senior beagle). They got along fine. All of my gang have been out to touch noses with Lucy through her fencing, no harsh words were exchanged.

Lucy insists on intimidating Josephine. That makes Josie anxious and she just wants to go inside, away from Lucy. This is unusual as Josie gets along with and wants to play with EVERYONE, even dogs much bigger than her.

Lucy tries to intimidate Callie too. There is no aggression in this, body language that relays the idea of “I am boss, you knuckle under”. Both Callie and Josie capitulate and want to escape.

Housebreaking

I’m told she is fully house-broken and crate trained. She won’t becoming into our house because we already have FIVE dogs (Blondie and Cochise are 90 pounders) in our little house and that’s too many as it is.

Miscellaneous

Lucy likes to chase cats a little too much.

Lucy has some separation anxiety issues. She settles down once her person (currently, me) is out of sight, but as I’m leaving or if I’m playing with another dog she acts out in a fit that is rough on chain link, could be disastrous to a home. Our Retriever brand transport box crates do hold her at night, so crating while away is an option.

She calms down and is lovey once she has my undivided attention.

Gallery

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

Rainy day play time – with Josie (Video)

Lucy DOES love a belly rub!

During a break, Lucy snuggles in for a back scratch.

Lucy likes to stay close. She gives kisses too.

Going for a truck ride headed for surgery

Unhappy about cone after spay.

Angel Steele: Notes on a foster dog

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Angel transferred here from another foster home because she was not getting over her fears and is badly stressed out which affects her behavior.

Last updated: Feb 10, 2018

Base Info:

  • Date Arrived: January 13, 2018
  • Breed: Beagle/Shepherd mix
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: 8 Months at original admission
  • Weight: approx. 55 pounds
  • Spay/Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Good
  • Temperament: Good. She’s a blend of active and submissive. I suspect she’d been mistreated when young.
  • Departure: Angel left on Rescue February 16, 2018

History

Set out beside a road outside a campground.

Known Issues & Progress

All I know about her so far is that she has been frightened of people and destructive of household furnishings and personal accessories. I will be working on building trust with her to get her past these issues.

Housebreaking

No major incidents in the Bunkhouse. She has peed on the floor a couple of times but that’s because she needed to “go” and she was stressing over my attempts to get a leash clipped to her collar. Nothing deliberate. As she’s learned my routine she is not stressing over things.

She does well with her crate. She likes to get outside, but is eager to get back to her “room” in the evening: partly because it’s getting chilly . She doe not like cold. She is rough on her bedding, she does well with a good blanket but anything quilted or fiber-filled (like a pillow) is history. She IS still a puppy.

Gets Along With Other Dogs

I was told she got along with other dogs. Observations of her interacting with my dogs (through a fence) and with Mystery (her roomie in the bunkhouse) is that she is benign and submissive.

01/14 This evening Angel and Buddy were in the yard together. She invited him to play and they had a great time chasing one another.

01/17 I took Angel and Mystery out together this morning. I was late, they were desperate, so I took a chance. They took off and chased each other through the snow for about 15 minutes (pausing momentarily now and then to relieve themselves) before they both came, panting and licking the snow, back to the gate to the bunkhouse. We all went in, they each got a big drink of water and went back to their crates for breakfast. Angel demanded a belly rub before she’d go into the crate, but otherwise was cooperative.

See Angel and Aggression video in the gallery below.

People Skills

Angel was, reportedly, frightened of people. She and I are getting along fine. She always seems happy to see me. We’ve had little other people traffic out here lately to test her on.

01/17 As she’s becoming more comfortable here she is coming out of her shell and becoming more rambunctious. She wiggles around so much I have a hard time getting a leash clipped to her collar, and she pulls really hard. I’m shopping for another Walk-Right harness. We have two but they’re both in use.

01/22 Harness arrived. It makes a big difference in walking her. Because she chews things up when bored I take the harness off before crating her.

Miscellaneous

Angel has become quite friendly and eager for attention. A belly rub usually puts her into a blissful stupor!

She is still destructive of bedding because she’s high-strung and gets bored easily (the Shepherd part of her). When weather allows (it IS January) I get her out to run in the yard with another dog as often as possible to wear her out (see Angels Play Day below).

Gallery

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

Upon arrival Angel kept her tail tucked and her head ducked.

That tail is up and she’s making friends.

Angel doing her famous Lizard Run

Hugging or wrestling – depends on the intensity!

Happy about yard time

Angel and Aggression
Click for Vid

The next day I let Angel play in the yard with her roomie Mystery:

On a particularly nice day, she got an extended play session.

Resting after a busy play time.

Enjoying a sunny day

Conversation with her friend Callie

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Sasha Steele: Notes on a foster dog

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Sasha is a sweet, smart, and loving girl who holds much promise.

Last updated: February 24, 2018

Base Info:

Sasha

  • Arrival date: February 16, 2018
  • Breed: Border Collie mix
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: 7 months
  • Weight: 40 pounds(?)
  • Spay/Neutered: No
  • General Health: Good.
  • Temperament: Sweet and playful

History

Picked up as a stray running at large by Newport Animal Control, she was not claimed nor adopted and was in danger of being put down, so they called Steele Away Home. We did not have any open fosters but a transport was leaving in a few days: that would open up some homes. Cedarwood Veterinary Hospital agreed to board her until a foster opened up. And here she is!

Known Issues & Progress

Sasha looks to be in good shape and is a sweet tempered, friendly little thing. The folks at Cedarwood say she is SUPER smart and has already learned several commands.

Sasha is an Aussie in temperament: that makes her smart and active. She will never be a good apartment dog, but for someone with some room to play she will be a great family companion. From what I can see so far, she should be good with kids too: she’s active, but not violent.

People Skills

Sasha has done well. She has proven to be affectionate and obedient — most of the time. Sometimes she develops “selective hearing” when I call her and she’s doing something fun. She knows”come”, “off”, “sit”, “fetch”, and “play”.

She can be excited and bouncy when she first comes out of her pen, but settles down nicely once she’s run off some of that energy. She has been friendly and accepting of everyone who has visited here.

When I’m sitting in a chair outside, supervising a “free play” period, Sasha often swings by and lays across my lap to get some head pets before going back to play with the others.

Gets Along With Other Dogs

Yes. She is eager to play with everyone. Sasha and Josephine have already had a successful play session. The older dogs may not appreciate her exuberance, but so far she is sensitive to this and scales back when she got to be annoying to Josie. (Video below)

Housebreaking

I’ve started working with her on this using her pen. She has come to prefer not to poop in her pen. As long as I’m consistent with her play times she complies.

She is good in a crate.

Miscellaneous

She gets bored in her pen and likes to toss around her water dish. That makes it hard to be sure she always has access to water. I gave her a chew toy and a ropey toy hoping she’d play with those instead. She seized on the ropey toy and immediately used it like a golf club to smack her freshly filled water dish across the pen. (sigh)

I have a plan … see Water Dish-Toy video below.

Feb 24th: Sasha left us today. Another foster home had a dog they could not handle. All the foster homes are full, so it was decided to trade one of my well-behaved girls for the one who needs more work. Sasha was selected for the trade. She’ll do fine there, Sasha gets along with everyone.

Gallery

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

Sasha says, “Let’s PLAY Josie!”

Josie has the high ground over Sasha.

Solving Sasha’s penchant for water dish tossing. (click for vid)

Between play sessions, they still want to play.

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Kringle Steele: Notes on a foster dog

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Kringle is energetic and can empty a bowl of kibble faster than anyone I’ve seen.

Last updated: Mar. 10, 2018

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: February 16, 2018
  • Breed: Boxer Mix
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: 2-3 years
  • Weight: 45 Pounds
  • Spay/Neutered: Yes: March 12, 2018
  • General Health: Good
  • Temperament: Good

History

Kringle was picked up by Newport Animal Control as a stray. She was held, but no owner came to claim her. No one was willing to adopt either and she was in danger of being put down, so N.A.C. called Steele Away Home and asked us to take her. We needed to board her at Cedarwood Veterinary Hospital until a foster home became available. Cedarwood also treated her for a bad case of worms.

Known Issues & Progress

Kringle is excitable and effervescent when first let out of her pen, but it takes only a short time of running and playing for her to calm down and be enjoyable to work with. With a little training she should become a good companion.

People Skills

Kringle is high energy at first, but she calms down and is a sweet gal. Obedient too, she’s learning her commands.

Gets Along With Other Dogs

Good. She got to play with Josephine, got too rough, Josie told her to back off … and she did: calmed right down, then walked away to find something else to do (video below)

Kringle has been in the yard with all the house dogs, no issues with any of them.

Kringle and Lucy got a play time together (video below).

Miscellaneous

Kringle is gentle on her bedding.

Gallery

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

Josie is not sure about playing with Kringle

Kringle comes on too strong for Josie’s comfort. (video)

Enjoying sunshine and a chew toy.

If you let me inside, I’ll let you play with my toy.
–

Kringle got a Coolaroo for her pen.

Kringle and Sasha get a play date (video)
 –

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Mystery Steele: Notes on a foster dog

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Mystery is a chocolate lab, husky mix, but she is definitely a Husky in build and personality. If you like the quirky, independent personality of this breed, you’ll love Mystery.

Last updated: February 12, 2018

Base Info:

  • Arrived here: January 11th, 2018
  • Breed: Chocolate Husky
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: Approx 2 years
  • Weight: Approx 60 pounds
  • Spay/Neutered: Yes: Feb 9, 2017
  • General Health: Good. Other than being in need of a good brushing, her fur, skin and teeth look to be in good shape. I see no sign of injury or disease.
  • Temperament: Good. She is lovey and affectionate with people. Accepting of strangers. She plays well with our other dogs now: was a bit guarded when she first arrived due to kennel stress.

History

Mystery was picked up as a stray and taken to Newport Animal Control in November 2017. Because Huskies do not do well in close confinement, she became stressed, depressed, and aggressive. N.A.C. management asked Steele Away Home to take her in so she could get out of that environment and regain her sanity.

Known Issues & Progress

Mystery is a Husky. Huskies have a personality all their own. I’ve worked with Huskies in a shelter environment before and they do NOT do well in close confinement. It’s heartbreaking to see how fast this spirited, independent breed sinks into depression when incarcerated. That was the case with Mystery. She came to Piney Mountain because we have a large, fenced play yard and big pens for our fosters to live in until they can begin house training.

Upon arrival (yesterday), she was fine with me: friendly and obedient, but when other dogs came near her pen she would bare her teeth and charge the fencing to warn them off. Some of them did not take too kindly to that attitude!

I’ve given her several solo play sessions in the yard – which she enjoys immensely — and she is calming down already.

After a few weeks she is able to play with the other dogs in the yard. She’s a bit too rowdy for Josephine’s taste (Josie is our smallest) but she’s not being mean, just big and bouncy.

Housebreaking

Doing well. There have been no incidents in the bunkhouse. Even when in her pen, she will avoid defiling her 10′ x10′ space as long as I let her out regularly. She usually needs to run a couple of laps to get her bowels moving … then slams on the brakes and assumes the position. She’s funny.

When I’ve got her loose in the bunkhouse she has not shown any tendency to chew things up or get into things. She’s curious, but not invasive.

Gets Along With Other Dogs

Not so good at the start, but that changed as she felt less stressed.

After a few days to decompress, Mystery wanted to play with her roomie: Angel. That went well. She and angel have had several play sessions together (see vids below).

Mystery HAS become possessive of my attentions and will warn off other dogs if I’m in her pen with her. If I’m in the yard with both her and another dog, there are no issues. She also shows food-guarding behavior with dogs — not with me.

People Skills

Very good. She is friendly and comes when called. She does not jump up on me (much) and she walks well on a tether/leash. She has had some training before.

It got to a point where when leash-walking her between Bunkhouse and play yard she’d be dragging me along. I put her in a Walk-Right! ™ harness and that cleared up right away. Then, one night, she chewed the harness off. I’ve ordered another, but in the mean time she is responding better to a “slow” command and tug on the collar-mounted leash. She learned and remembers even without the harness.

I got the harness, but don’t need it. Mystery now walks very well on a leash and collar.

Miscellaneous

Mystery is a typical Husky, and as such can be more of a handful to manage than most other breeds. Huskies tend to be highly intelligent, deviously clever, independent thinkers, and OPINIONATED. They are also hilariously entertaining and devoted family dogs. To manage a Husky, you need firm boundaries and a good routine. Let a Husky decide she’s in charge of the household and you’ll have a frustrating challenge on your hands.

I brush her daily and she’s looking much better. She loves the brushing too. She talks to me constantly while I’m doing it. That is SO cute!

Feb 12: After a dog gets fixed I like to take them for a “just for fun” truck ride so they don’t come t think that getting in the truck means someone is going to cut parts off them.

Today I had errands to run, so I took Mystery Steele with me: she was spayed last Friday but is feeling better now. She was not at all hesitant, hopped right up into the truck and settled herself on the passenger seat. She rides really well!

One of my stops was Tractor Supply Co. in Newport. She went in with me and did a superb job of staying right beside me, never pulling on the leash, never toying with products, never having to be coaxed to come along, quite calm when I stopped to speak to a store employee. I was SO proud of her! We even met a Weimaraner puppy who was a bit bouncy and overly friendly, but both did well and were quite civil to one another.

Gallery

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

Looking better after a good brushing

Wanna Play?

Mystery has a great sense of humor.

This girl can really run — and loves it!

The next day I let Mystery and her roomie, Angel, out to play in the snow:

Mystery and Angel get a long play day in especially nice weather.

Mystery has decided to challenge Blondie for the Grand Dame position. (click-vid)

Mystery likes to munch and wander at breakfast time (click-vid)

Enjoying a Big Bone

She rides well. Calm. Sometimes needs petting to reassure her all is well.
–

Definitely a husky, such a derp!
 –

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Ricky Steele: Notes On A Foster Dog

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Ricky is a sweet boy. A bit shy today, but that’s to be expected. The information below will be updated as Ricky progresses.

Last update: Jan 3, 2018

Base Info:

  • Breed: Beagle/Border Collie
  • Sex: Male
  • Weight: Approx. 30 pounds
  • Spay/Neutered: Yes
  • Age: 7-8 months (as of Nov. 2017)
  • General Health: Good. Up to date on all shots. HW-neg and on a preventative.
  • Temperament: Shy with new people. Skittish with some big dogs. Bouncy and friendly with people he knows.

History

Continue Reading…

Roscoe Returns: Notes On A Foster Dog

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Last updated: December 29, 2017

Roscoe is back!

Unfortunately he did not pass Universal K9’s qualifications for acceptance into their police dog training program. Newport Animal Control‘s attempts to get him into one of several “pit bull” rescues came to naught as well. But Steele Away Home – Canine Foster and Rescue’s Intake Coordinator (Amy) agreed to let me bring him back here as a Steele dog.

Roscoe went out the back door for a walk just as I was coming in the front door of Animal Control. That gave me a few minutes to talk with Lisa and Alicia. They had a packet made up for me with the transfer form, shot record, and a microchip kit.

Roscoe came back in via the front door, and when he saw me standing there he just EXPLODED in happiness: bounced around then stood up, wrapped his paws around my neck and licked my face. Now I need a shower! When I took him out to the truck he leapt up onto the tailgate and pawed at the door of the transport box, “Let me in, let me in, I want to go home!” He sang a song of joy all the way home!

Continue Reading…

Ellie Mae: Notes On A Rescue Dog

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Ellie has had kind of a tough row to hoe over the past few months. We don’t know what her life was like before, but mid-summer she showed up at the home of a local resident: Deb. Deb did the responsible thing and tried to get her back together with her family — except no one ever came forward to claim her. But Ellie is a sweet, gentle girl, so Deb hung onto her.

After a while that got to be inconvenient. Mostly because Ellie chased her cat and the cat never came back. Hound dog, small furry creature that runs; maybe not the best combo.

When the local animal shelter re-opened, Deb took Ellie down there. A shelter employee decided to take Ellie home because her husband hunts coons. But they found out that THIS hound don’t hunt, (at least not for him) so Ellie came back to the shelter.

The shelter contacted Amy (our intake person) and asked if Steele Away Home -Canine Foster and Rescue could help find Ellie Mae a new home.

Continue Reading…

Ty Steele: Notes On A Rescue Dog

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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.)

Continue Reading…

Roscoe: Police Dog Wannabe

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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.

Continue Reading…