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age2-Adult

1 year through 4 Years

Bandit Steele: Notes on a foster dog

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This is a foster dog diary post about Bandit.  New information will be added to the end of this post so all info on this dog is kept in one place and in chronological order. If you subscribe for updates, a short note will be sent when updates are posted. If you don’t subscribe, check back periodically to see what’s been added.

Last Updated: Jan 26, 2020

Bandit has been in foster care with Steele Away Home – Canine Foster and Rescue for quite some time.  He came into the program with mild aggression issues – more like intimidation issues.  Anyone who came up to him timidly would get growled at.  A confident approach yielded acceptance.  That foster believes she has him worked through that and, for a change, PMFC gets to be the Finishing School instead of Boot Camp.

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Nov. 19, 2019
  • Breed: Shepherd Mix
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: @ 50 Pounds
  • Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Playful, happy, friendly
  • Gets Along with: People, Dogs, (Cats unknown)
  • Crate Trained: Yes
  • Housebroken: Yes
  • Departure date: January 13, 2020, going to S.A.V.E.

History

Bandit was raised by a couple who lived in a camper.  When that was no longer a suitable arrangement he went through a couple of homes and into rescue because he had developed a bad attitude.  Can you blame him?  But Ashton seems to have done a fine job of working him through that and restoring peace and happiness to this giddy boy.

Progress Summary:

Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.

Dog to Dog Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes. A tad (playfully) overbearing for some.
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
  • Preferred style of play: He loves to run, playing tug-o-war, and tussling with other dogs.

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Yes
  • Jumps up on people: No
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: Yes

House Dog Training

  • Willingly enters his crate: Yes, with bribery.
  • 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: No
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: No
  • Stays off people furniture: No

Commands:

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

Bandit’s Medical

  • DA2PP: 09/26/2019 (SAH)
    Booster:
  • Bordatella: 09/26/2019 (SAH)
  • Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
    .  12/15–17/2019 Fendbendazole 11ml PMFC
  • Rabies: 09/26/2019 (Paws and Claws)
  • Neuter: 09/26/2019 (Paws and Claws)
  • Heartworm Test: date, result (by)
    . 09/26/2019 – Negative – (Paws and Claws)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . 09/26/2019, product, dose
    . 10/26/2019, product, dose
    . 11/26/2019, Ivermectin solution, 0.5 ml
    . 12/26/2019, Ivermectin solution, 0.5 ml
  • NOTES:
    .
    .

Diet

4Health Salmon & Potato recipe, 1½ cups AM, 1¼ cups PM.
Peanut Butter Treats as rewards for crating and kenneling.

Progress Updates

In chronological order, newest at the bottom. Some pictures are linked to a more detailed Doggy Tale about that update, click those to open the related story.

 

GALLERY

Buddy and The Bandit, cooking up some mischief.

Detailed Notes

Nov. 19

Bandit has been living with Ashton for a couple of months as she worked him through an “intimidation” issue.  Upon his arrival I greeted him and he responded warmly.  He and Blondie Bear got acquainted, played a little, then Bandit went off to sniff out the play yard.  Before she left, Ashton put Bandit in his kennel and he responded well.  He is getting along with his neighbors: Major and Spartacus, and all the house dogs have been out to greet him.

At bed time, Bandit went inside the bunkhouse with Major and Spartacus.  I showed him which crate is his, he went in after the cookie I tossed in, then sniffed out his blankets before settling in to sleep.

In the morning all was well in his crate.  He walked with me back to the play yard and kennels, where his breakfast was waiting.  But it was too early for him to eat (6:00 AM).  He preferred to go out in the play yard and run in the dark.  And run, and run, and run…

Nov 22

While all three main kennels were occupied, Bandit occupied the middle one with Major on one side and Spartacus on the other.  Bandit would occasionally speak loudly at Spartacus (a small beagle).  Starty is about as unassuming as anyone could be.  We know that Bandit had issues of trying intimidate those who seemed weak or afraid of him.  So when Major left I moved Bandit into the kennel Major had vacated (after sanitizing it, of course).  For the time being that leaves an empty kennel between them to mitigate any chance of hostility between them.

I allowed Buddy Beagle to come outside today for the mid-day play session.  Buddy and Bandit played together a little then got into a contest of dominance, first with paws on shoulders, then trying to mount one another.  That got Buddy to growling so I ended play time between them.  Bandit seemed to be good natured through the whole episode, it was Buddy who felt pressured to stand up to the bigger dog.

Bandit has kept his room clean, waiting for his play times to relieve himself.  He has been quiet almost all of the time, and he loves going inside at night to sleep in his crate.  He’s not thrilled about the crate part, but does not fight it either.  So far he has been friendly with everyone who has been here.

Nov. 26

Bandit is getting frustrated.  He wants SO much to be a house dog, sees other dogs going into the house and stands at the door, barking “LET ME IN”.

But despite his frustrations he is being good.  He keeps his kennel clean.  He keeps his crate clean at night, has not torn up bedding in either location, and he plays well with others.  Two of the beagles are intimidated by his size and enthusiasm and won’t play with him.  One Beagle, the smallest one, turns the table on him by getting in under Bandit and pushing his legs.  This confuses Bandit so that he hops around with an adorably confused look on his face, “What’s going on, what is he doing?” then he heads for his kennel.  This 23 pound Beagle is just too much for him!

Probably because of his frustration he has not warmed up to me much.  He is not unfriendly, just would rather be running in the yard than getting petted by me on his play times.  He used to come when I called him and would let me pet him a while.  Now he comes to within about 20 feet and stands there looking at me like, “When I get what *I* want, you get what you want.”  That has to be the Shepherd in him!

Nov 30

Bandit likes to play in the yard with Blondie Bear.  When it’s his play time I leave him out for extra time while I do a chore: yard pick-up, mail run, or maybe a spot of gardening.  Today I was heading out for the mail run.  Bandit was down in the low corner.  I went out the middle gate.  I didn’t pay too much attention to Bandit’s activity because he would have to come all the way around the garden to get to where I was.

But in a masterful stroke of precision timing, just as I pushed the gate open enough to slip out, I heard, Pa-dum, pa-dum, pa-dum then felt a WHOOSH as Bandit rocketed through the gate with me.  NOOOOOOO!

Until a dog will respond to “Come” consistently I always attach a “handle” before I let them out into the yard.  This is a piece of light rope about 8 feet long with a piston clip on one end.  Nothing on the other end that might hurt him should it snag on something as he flies around the yard.  Something I can stomp on, then grab when he’s playing keep away.  Which he does sometimes.

Rather than getting upset (and letting him know he’s pushed my buttons) I talked to him the same as I would in the yard.  He ran a loop around my Mom’s house (probably to say “Hello” to the mail carrier who was picking up a box down there) then a loop around me to say, “Lookee, lookee, I’m FREE!” then off into the woods above our house.  I could hear his progress as he crashed through the brush, but could not see him.

I began to envision the poster: “Last seen heading north on Piney Mountain Rd”.  But then I heard it: children’s laughter.  Ah, ha!

I went down the driveway and began hiking along the roadway to the next house.  When I got there, there were three young boys, the dog who lives there, and the Dad in the yard.  Dad had Bandit by that rope “handle” and was looking at the tag I put on all of our dogs collars, just in case.  I called out a “hello” and asked him to hang onto my escapee.

The boys gathered around Bandit and all seemed to be having a good time.  So, we can add “good with kids” to his resume.  This is not my favorite way to learn this, though.

Dec 8

Today I tested Bandit with Josephine and Buddy Beagle.

Dec 12

Bandit was not happy with sleeping in the bunkhouse alone after Dawson Wigglestump left to go to Boston. But we have a new friend for him: Burton Flirtsworthy. But Burton is a lover not a wrestler, and he’s weakened by being starved half to death. We’re feeding him 5 times a day and teaching him to be a good boy. Can he handle being Bandit’s friend?

Bandit’s New Bunkie – Burton from Doug Bittinger on Vimeo.

Dec 16

Bandit has a lot of style.  He does the “shake” (paw) thing with extra flair, running in the yard is a fluid motion, and even when just lounging around in the sun he makes it look like he’s the best at it there is.

Bandit is willing to play with any of the other dogs.  Some of them are not so willing because he’s a bit rambunctious in his play style, and that’s intimidating at first.  But he can scale back to play with smaller dogs too. (See Dec. 8 entry)

Dec 28

Buddy and The Bandit, cooking up some mischief.

Bandit is becoming frustrated at not being invited inside to be a house dog and is acting out a bit: tearing up his bed pads in his kennel and deliberately peeing and pooping in there even right after he’s been out in the yard.

The bedding in the crate he sleeps in at night remains untouched, and he has not defiled that.  That is “in doors”, so is closer to what he wants.

We have had no incidents of intimidation or aggression with him.  He can be pigheaded about thinks like coming back in his kennel after free-play.  I still have to put a “handle” on him to have any hope of catching him before he says he done playing.  If I let him go until he says he’s done, he will return and freely enter his kennel to get a drink and a treat.  Before then, he will play keep-away with me.

Jan 5

Today Bandit met his match for exuberant play: a skinny little beagle girl.  Who’d-a-thunk it!

Jan 26, 2020

SAVE Announced today: “Bandit has left the building (on his humom’s lap 🤣)! He found a family complete with a fur brother named Moose! Happy life ahead!”

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Spartacus Beagelus: Notes on a foster dog

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This is a foster dog diary post about Spartacus (whom we affectionately refer to as Snoopicus). New information will be added to the end of this post so all info on this dog is kept in one place and in chronological order. If you subscribe for updates, a short note will be sent when updates are posted. If you don’t subscribe, check back periodically to see what’s been added.

Last Updated: Dec. 10

Spartacus is a small, affectionate full-blooded Beagle.  Initial impressions are good as far as his relating to us and to the other doggos housed here.

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Nov. 18, 2019
  • Breed: Beagle
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: 23 Pounds
  • Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Bright, gentle, loves attention.  Extremely clever.
  • Gets Along with: People, Dogs, (Cats unknown)
  • Crate Trained: Yes
  • Housebroken: Yes
  • Departure date: December 6th, 2019, headed for New Hampshire

History

Picked up as a stray by Newport Animal Control on November 5th and not claimed, Spartacus was put up for adoption.  Animal Rescue Network of New England (ARNNE) asked me to foster him for them while he gets neutered, rabies shot, HW test, etc.

Progress Summary:

Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.

Dog to Dog Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
  • Preferred style of play:  So far he has not engaged the others in play.  Likes to go on patrol with them.

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Unknown but expected to be very good with kids.
  • Jumps up on people: Yeeees, but he’s so small and sweet about it he does no damage.
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: Yes

House Dog Training

  • Willingly enters his crate: Yes, with bribe
  • Is calm/quiet while in crate: Most of the time.
  • Understands going outside to potty: Yes
  • Alerts me of need to go outside: Yes
  • Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: No
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: Yes (couldn’t reach them if he tried)
  • Stays off people furniture: NO

Commands:

  • Comes when called: Depends on what’s in it for him.
  • Sits on command: No
  • Down / Off: Sometimes
  • Shake / Paw: No
  • Kennels on command: Yes

Spartacus’s Medical

  • DA2PP: 11/13/2019 (NAC)
    . Booster: 11/27/2019 (PMFC)
  • Bordatella: 11/13/2019 (NAC)
  • Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
    .  11/13/2019 Pyrantel Pamoate, 2.5cc NAC
  • Rabies: 11/26/2019 (Cedarwood)
  • Neuter: 11/26/2019 (Cedarwood)
  • Heartworm Test: 11/26/2019 , Negative (Cedarwood)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . 11/29/2019, Ivermectin solution, .03 ml
  • NOTES:
    .
    .

Diet

Sparty is a picky eater.  Does not care for cheese, does like peanut butter.
Now eating 4health Salmon & Potato kibble straight, and enjoying it.
3/4 cup AM, 3/4 cup PM
Prefers to drink water out of a stainless steel bowl, does not like plastic containers.
LOVES our Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Gallery

Patrolling for the Red Baron

WOW this is amazing!

My hiney hurts

Part of the gang now

Progress Updates

In chronological order, newest at the bottom. Some pictures are linked to a more detailed Doggy Tale about that update, click those to open the related story.

November 19

Spartacus rode home from NAC well.  He sang his song of Beagle Delight all the way.  Introductions to the rest of the Piney Mountain Gang went smoothly.  His only concern during play time is marking everything he sees, but that will start to diminish once we have his nuts nipped.  Sparty likes to snuggle and is gentle about it.

At bed time I took both of the kennel boys inside the bunkhouse to be crated for the night.  Spartacus was okay with that as long as I was in the room with them, but cried when I left.  He settled down eventually and hid crate blanket was clean and dry this morning.

He prefers canned food to kibble.  Meaning that if I give him a dish of kibble he dumps it over and kicks the kibble all around his kennel.  “Okay, okay, I get the message!”  I gave him canned food this morning and he ate that.

Nov. 22

Spartacus has been improving in his behavior: less baying and crying, less jumping up on me to get attention as soon as I enter his kennel as he has been getting frequent doses of attention and play time.  He is quite lovey and stays quiet as long as his people aren’t ignoring him.

He has been allowed to play with Blondie, Callie, and Buddy Beagle.  The two big girls were a passing fancy: he sniffed each of them thoroughly and moved off to engage in the very serious business of marking every tree, bush, and fence post in the yard.  That will decrease after neutering

With Buddy it was different.  Buddy isn’t much bigger than Sparty and he’s a Beagle.  Sparty followed Buddy all around but never really engaged him in play.  Hero worship, maybe.

Spartacus has done okay at keeping his room clean.  He has not torn up his blankets.  The first day he left a poop or two and a puddle in there.  But once he realized he was going to be let out every couple of hours, he stopped that and has kept his room clean.

Sparty is exceptionally sweet, gentle, and an avid snuggler.

Nov. 26

My hiney hurts!

Today Spartacus was neutered, microchipped, got his rabies shot, and examined for Health Certification so he can travel across state lines.  All parasite testing turned out negative.  He came through his surgery well.  He is quite uncomfortable this evening, but he came home with Carprophen so I’ll give him a dose after his potty run.

He will be staying inside the house for at least the next week so I can keep an eye on him.  Then, if he and the house dogs all get along well, he’ll probably just stay in with us until transport on Dec. 6th.

Nov 27th

Sparty and I had kind of a rough night last night.  Neither a cone nor a Kong Cloud in his size is sufficient to keep him from licking at his incision.  So I put a couple of rectangular dog beds together, Marie brought my bed pillow and a blanket and Spartacus and I camped on the den floor.  He was happy to snuggle in beside me and I could tell if he tried to curl up to get at his privates and prevent it.  Right after he got his pain meds we both got a few hours of sleep.  Once those wore off he became fidgety and needed more supervision.

Part of the gang now

In the morning the other dogs accepted his running loose and he made himself at home while Marie fixed the people breakfast and I fed doggos inside and outside.

Spartacus had eaten last night’s dinner earlier in the morning as breakfast.  I gave him just a few more kibbles so  he wouldn’t feel deprived, but he ignored them, eating just the peanut butter clump that hid his morning pill.

I claim this bed in the name of all Beagledom.

When Marie went to the bedroom to get dressed for work, Sparty accompanied her and laid claim to the People bed as his.

Uhhh, no.  I don’t think so, lil feller.  You are cute and all, but that causes issues with the other house dogs.  Let’s just keep things peaceful while you’re here, okay?

Sparty’s in-house behavior has, so far, been excellent.  He has not been baying or crying and he has not challenged the other dogs in any way.

Nov. 29

Nov. 30

We have a “No dogs on the sofa” rule in our house. We have one sofa, one easy chair, and our bed. The dogs have like 12 pieces of dog furniture for their use. We don’t think it’s unreasonable to be able to sit down when we want to. Spartacus has challenged that rule several times. I always lift him down gently and place him on a vacant dog bed explaining, “That’s for the people to sit on.”

Today I entered the living room and found this. I went over to pick him up and move him, but he glared at me around his cone and said, “You never sit on this part. You can still sit on that part. There’s no reason I can’t sit here.”

“Yeah, but … ummm … you can’t just … I mean, it’s not that …”

Hmmm … he had me there. So I left him sitting where he was.

I wonder what law school he’s going to attend when he gets to New Hampshire.

Dec. 3

We removed Sparty’s cone on Sunday.  When I looked at Spartacus’s incision last night it looked fine.  When we got to Cedarwood this morning for his follow-up look-see, part of it had opened up.  Chad cleaned it and glued it shut.  There is no infection yet, but I am to watch it and if it starts showing signs of infection we’re to go back and get some antibiotics that he can take with him.  He’s also in a cone again.
This is my chair now and I will take my meals here from now on.

Yesterday, Having conquered the sofa, Spartacus chose to invade the dining room.

He’s also found some new places to lie in the sun.

Dec. 7

We got to the rendezvous point in Bulls Gap okay Friday night.  Spartacus did not enjoy the ride: squirming and trying to climb onto the dashboard most of the way.  Once we got into I-81, he went in the back and snoozed.

We arrived early because the transport service said we should: in case they were running fast.  They have a phone number we can call to get the expected arrival times at each stop.  That said they were running late by 20 minutes.  So I helped a group of fellas whose car had died and needed a jump start.

10:20 came and went and the phone still said they’d be there at 10:20.

At 10:45 we got a call from Amanda (a name I know because Christine (my contact at ARNNE) mentioned her as being a coordinator for HEARTS LLC) who said she was there at the truck stop to pick up Spartacus so we could go on home.  The transport had suffered a flat tire and were going to be delayed a while.  I told her where we were and what we were driving and she found us.  Marie said, “I think we should check her credentials, she may be some kind of Beagle thief.”

As it turned out, the transport was broken down at the I-80/I-40 split and we were going to go right past it to get home, we could have dropped him off to them there.  I wondered if Amanda always drove out in front of the transport like that, then we remembered that HEARTS are HQ’d in Greenville, so Bulls Gap is just a short ways from there.  It was fortuitous that they had a blow out there and not at Lebanon TN, the other end of the state.

Dec. 8

I got word last night (Saturday) that Spartacus has arrived safely at the quarantine center in NH.  He will spend a couple of days there, then be released to his foster mom while his adoption is processed.  His foster mom and adopter may be the same person.  ARNNE likes doing foster-to-adopt as a trial run before the adoption is formalized.  I like that system too because when it works out it means less stress on the dog by not being passed through another home on his way to the forever home.

I’ll be watching for the adoption photo!

Dec 10

Spartacus is out of quarantine, making himself at home in a short-term foster home, and will be going to his adoptive home later today.  ARNNE says, of his adopters, “He’s going to his adoptive home today in Dracut, MA. His adopters are twin sisters in their late 50s who are retired. They have a fenced yard and an impeccable home.”  He ought to be very happy there!

 

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 If you enjoy our pupdates, 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. That’s a promise! [email-subscribers namefield=”YES” desc=”” group=”Public”]

Major FAS: Notes on a foster dog

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This is a foster dog diary post about Major. New information will be added to the end of this post so all info on this dog is kept in one place and in chronological order. If you subscribe for updates, a short note will be sent when updates are posted. If you don’t subscribe, check back periodically to see what’s been added.

Last Updated: November 21

Major was a family dog.  I don’t know what changed in their family but on January 19, 2019 his family surrendered him to the local animal shelter, and his troubles were just beginning.

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Sept. 9th
  • Breed: Greater Swiss Mountain Dog mix
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: @ 60 Pounds
  • Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Playful, affectionate, bouncy.  Occasional bursts of violence.
  • Gets Along with Dogs: Undecided
  • Gets Along with Cats: Unknown
  • Gets Along with People: Usually
  • Gets Along with Children: Undecided
  • Housebroken/Crate Trained: Yes
  • Departure date: November 21

History

Major’s family brought him to the Friends Animal Shelter in Newport to surrender him.  While they were there, Major appeared to be a happy, bouncy boy.  But when his family left him there and went away, Major became upset, then angry, then vicious.

The shelter asked me to come look at him and determine if they were going to have to destroy him.  Their staff was unable to handle him or clean his kennel.  I arrived with a pocket full of peanut butter dog treats.  Nearly all dogs love these things.  In about 20 minutes I had him calmly eating out of my hand.  I showed their Vet Tech, Carol, what I had done and how to handle him.  She continued these techniques and got him settled enough to place him up for adoption.

Except he was not adopted.  Nine months later, he’s still there and is showing signs of shelter psychosis.  And he gets vicious with some shelter staffers.  So they reached out to me once again, would I foster him to get him out of the shelter environment and help him regain his sanity?  Yes, of course I will help Major.

Progress Summary:

Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.

Dog to Dog Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes (everyone I’ve tried him with)
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Unknown
  • Jumps up on people: Sometimes
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: Working on that (see Oct 14 below)

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: No Yes
  • Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: No
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: No Yes
  • Stays off people furniture: No Yes

Commands:

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

Major’s Medical

  • DA2PP: 02/20/2019 (F.A.S.)
  • Bordatella: 02/20/2019 (F.A.S.)
  • Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
    . 09/05/2019, Strongid, 6.5 ml, Friends Animal Shelter
  • Rabies: date (by) NEEDED
  • Neuter: Done prior to surrender
  • Heartworm Test: 09/05/2019, NEGATIVE, Friends Animal Shelter
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . 09/13/2019, Ivermectin solution, 0.6 ml
    . 10/14/2019, Ivermectin/glycerine, 0.7 ml
  • NOTES:
    .  Showed signs of stress at the shelter, is aggressive with select staff members.  During assessment on 08/31 to 09/07 he responded well to both Marie and I on all visits.

Diet

4health Salmon and Potato recipe, 1½ cups AM, 1¼ cups PM.  I am underfeeding to get his weight down.

Gallery

Progress Updates

In chronological order, newest at the bottom. Some pictures are linked to a more detailed Doggy Tale about that update, click those to open the related story.

Sept 8

I have visited with Major 3 times now and have had no trouble with him.  I can go into his kennel, pet him, hand him treats, and he will sit on command.  If I encourage play, he gets revved up quickly and can be a bit overwhelming.  He *needs* some room to run and a low stress environment.  He will get that on Monday.

Sept 9

I picked up Major today.  He gave me no trouble at all, in fact once I got my transport box inside his kennel I prepared to lure him into the box with treats.  But as soon as I opened the door, Major scooted inside and said, “I’m ready, lets go!”  Carol helped me load him up and he rode well on the trip home.

He enjoyed exploring our play yard and has settled into his room.  All the other dogs have come by to say “howdy” and no ugliness came of it.  We’re off to a great start.

Sept 10

Major responds well to the “come” and “sit” command.  Generally, even if he is all the way across the yard from me, if I call out “Major, COME!” he will come racing across the yard as though it is pure joy to comply.  The only exception so far has been if he’s “busy” either doing his business or seeking a place to do it, he will finish up and then come running.  That’s okay by me!

And let’s do a food aggression test …

Sept 12

Major has been here three full days now and has not once peed or pooped in his kennel.  I let him out every few hours during the day and he takes care of his needs in the yard.  I praise him for that, but he may well be housebroken already.

Major is also getting quite playful now that he’s settling in and getting to know the others.  He and Blondie Bear had their first play session.  Things were tense at first …

Sept 16

Major has not been especially, “frisky” when it comes to solo play time, either in his room or in the yard.  But this morning he decided to frisk things up a bit by tossing around his Benebone.

Sept 18

Major appears to have lost some weight: he’s got more of a waist to him now.  That might be why he’s more willing to run and play now.  That will only help speed the trimming down and toning up process.  He has an appointment at Cedarwood for a Rabies shot on Friday.  I’ll weigh him on their big scale then and see how he’s doing.  He has still kept his kennel immaculate.  He really wants to be a house dog again.

Sept 20

Major and I had a nice play session, then it was time to take him for his rabies shot.  He let me put a harness on him (better control than a collar should he need to be controlled) and I thought about letting him ride behind the seats, but he can get pretty bouncy, and with no one else around to help settle him, that could get dangerous.  I can’t drive and soothe a big bouncy dog.   So I decided to use the transport box.  I opened up the back of the truck and the door on the box and said, “In your room” and Major stood up, put his front feet on the tailgate, and hopped on his back feet.  He was willing but couldn’t get them up there, so I gave him a boost.  He didn’t like that, swing around and bit me on the face.

Puncture wounds this time, no flaps of skin hanging.  But his teeth hit my jaw bone, and that HURTS.

I put an ice pack on it and called the vet to cancel our appointment.  Then I notified the animal shelter of the incident, haven’t heard back from them yet.  Than I mopped the blood off the floor and went to sit down for a bit to just mash that ice pack onto my jaw and cheek.

When the bleeding had almost stopped I fixed a sandwich for lunch and rehashed the morning, looking for what I did wrong.  There are several things.  But to do them better would require more than just me being present.  That seems to be a recurring theme.

On the brighter side, when I let him out for his afternoon play, he responded to me as he always does, not appearing to be holding any animosity toward me.

Oct. 4th

It’s been two weeks since our unfortunate incident and there has been no more incidents of aggression.  In fact he has been responding to me as he always had before: a big happy, bouncy boy.

I want to try him at playing with some of the other dogs, but I need a helper to do that right, because if it goes badly it will go bad quickly with Major.

One thing I do have to give him credit for is that in the (almost) month he’s been here, he has always kept his kennel pristinely clean.  All I’ve ever had to remove from his floor is fur.  Major seems majorly housebroken.  I truly wish I knew if he could be trusted to to get cranky with the other dogs, I’m sure he’d be happier as a house dog and that would get him back on track faster.

He doesn’t spend a lot of time in the yard either.  He might linger more if he had a playmate but most times he goes out to take care of business, then is ready to go to his room and get his cookie.

Occasionally Blondie Bear with play with him a little, but she’s not into the rough and tumble play any more.

Oct. 11

Fur is all I ever remove from Major’s room.

This week has been just holding steady for Major.  No hint of aggression, keeping his room immaculate, playing well with Blondie, and showing signs that he’d like to play with Rosco.

The cool weather makes him bouncier than ever and he’s doing more running.  The running is good, the bouncing can be a little intimidating.  I think he’s picking some of that up from Rosco.  Rosco has the bad habit of running around me, jumping up and nipping my hands to get my attention.  Major’s picking up Rosco’s bad habit.  But when I push him away and say, “down!” he does settle.  Once he’s staying down I’ll pet him.

Oct. 14

Major is still dedicated to keeping his kennel clean.  He is doing better at leash walking, and was calm during his petting session today.

Nov 11

The past month has seen improvement in Majors leash walking skills, and regression on his people interaction skills.  He’s gone back to jumping up on me, something I had him broken of.  I’m pretty sure this is because he sees Rosco doing it and getting attention from is — even if it is a scolding.  I need to spend more quality time just hanging out with Major.

He seems to want to play with the other dogs, but his body language is hard to read: not sure if it play or a fight he’s after.  But he IS quite the Homebody.  He likes his room, appreciates the blankets and cushions, and keeps his room clean and tidy.  He really should be an in-the-house dog.  If only I could be sure what his intentions toward the others are.

Nov. 21

It was getting really cold at night a while back and I crated Major in the bunkhouse from 9:00 PM until breakfast time at 6:00 AM.  He really liked being inside and eagerly looked forward to settling into his crate for the night.  Once the cold snap was past I continued crating him at night, just because he did like it so much and was so good in his crate.

Last night was no different from any other: I took him in ahead of the other two, when we got through the building door I let go of his lead and closed the door while Major scooted into his crate, turned around and plopped down ready to receive his cookie after I retrieved the slip-lead and closed the crate door.  Only this time when I reached in for the lead he bit me!  Viciously.  Not a playful nip gone awry.  Blood was pouring out of my hand (graphic image), so I secured Major’s crate door, scolded him briefly, then went in my house to make repairs before moving the other two dogs inside.

I notified the Friends Shelter of the incident and asked them to come pick him up.  Obviously, I’m not making the progress with him that I thought I was.

I was going to leave him in his crate this morning but, not knowing when or if anyone was coming for him — and knowing that needing to “go” and being crated would SERIOUSLY stress him out, I decided to move him to his kennel for breakfast, then allow his morning potty run – just like always.  He did fine until I tried to pop the buckle on his collar (wanted to salvage the collar and tag) and he snapped at me again.  He missed.  I’ll sacrifice the collar and tag.

When Elishia (Shelter Manager) and crew arrived with a large trap to transport him in, he went into the box warily but once the door was closed and he was trapped he was baring his teeth and snarling at everyone.

The shelter staff all had a good cry this morning while they prepared.  I’m feeling sick to my stomach for having failed him.  Most of the time Major was a big, bouncy, happy boy.  But that tendency to suddenly lash out without warning or apparent cause is deeply disturbing.  We hoped that some resort time at Piney Mountain would allow him to de-stress and recover.  But, as Elishia put it, “When he lost his family it broke him, and he’s just not getting over that.”

Rest in peace, Major, may you find happier times over the Rainbow Bridge.

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Rosco Steele: Notes on a foster dog

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This is a foster dog diary post about Rosco. New information will be added to the end of this post so all info on this dog is kept in one place and in chronological order. If you subscribe for updates, a short note will be sent when updates are posted. If you don’t subscribe, check back periodically to see what’s been added.

Last Updated: Nov. 15

Rosco Steele is one of several siblings who were rescued from a hoarding situation and have been in foster care.  His sister, Sable, was staying with us until just recently.  I can definitely see the family traits.

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Sept 19, 2019
  • Breed: Feist mix
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: @ 35 Pounds
  • Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Shy, clingy, feisty
  • Gets Along with: People, Dogs, Cats
  • Crate Trained: No.
  • Housebroken: No
  • Departure date: Nov. 15, 2019

History

Pulled from a hoarding situation many months ago, held in foster care since, but not trained.  He’s here for training and socialization.

Progress Summary:

Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.

For a listing of Doggy Tails that include Rosco [click here].

Dog to Dog Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
  • Preferred style of play: Undetermined

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes, but prefers men
    . Children: Unknown – he’s pretty wild right now.
  • Jumps up on people: Yes
  • Mouths: Yes: this has turned to licking, no longer nips.
  • Walks well on a leash: Yes Keep the lead short and he does well.

House Dog Training

  • Willingly enters his crate: No
  • Is calm/quiet while in crate: Eventually
  • Understands going outside to potty: No Yes
  • Alerts me of need to go outside: No Yes
  • Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: Yes
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: No Yes
  • Stays off people furniture: No Yes

Commands:

  • Comes when called: Yes
  • Sits on command: No
  • Down / Off: Yes
  • Shake / Paw: No
  • Kennels on command: Yes (with a bribe)

Rosco’s Medical

  • DA2PP: 11/15/2019 (Claws and Paws)
  • Bordatella: 11/15/2019 (Claws and Paws)
  • Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
    Unknown
  • Rabies: 06/13/2019 (Claws and Paws)
    .             11/15/2019 (Claws and Paws)
  • Neuter: 06/13/2019 (Claws and Paws)
  • Heartworm Test: 06/13/2019, NEGATIVE (Claws and Paws)
    .              11/15/2019 (Claws and Paws)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . 07/13/2019, product?, dose?
    . 09/26/2019, TevraPet Activate II, 1.6 ml
    . 10/27/2019, TevraPet Activate II, 1.6 ml
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . 07/13/2019, Interceptor, dose?
    . 09/22/2019, Ivermectin solution, 0.4 ml.
    . 10/27/2019, Ivermectin solution, 0.4 ml.
  • NOTES:
    . No health issues known other than lapsed HW preventative.
    .

Diet

4Health Salmon & Potato recipe, 1¼ cups AM, 3/4 cups PM.

Progress Updates

In chronological order, newest at the bottom. Some pictures are linked to a more detailed Doggy Tale about that update, click those to open the related story.

Gallery

Sept 21

Rosco is definitely Sable’s brother!  Their mannerisms are so much alike its spooky.  Like Sable, he is affection starved, like Sable he is really rowdy, like Sable he has no clue how to properly interact with people.  But these things are why he is here at Piney Mountain: we will teach him these and he will become a good pet for someone.  Like Sable, he will always be an active dog, suited for a family that likes a lot of activity, not a family that wants a couch potato.

So far he is getting along great with his kennel-neighbors, Major and Faith.  He does not stir up trouble.  His most annoying habit is to “yip, yip, yip” all night long if I leave him outside with the others.  To combat that I take him inside the bunkhouse and crate him.  He’s not fond of that, but Faith and Major get jealous because they both want very much to be House Dogs and try to get through the gate to the bunkhouse when I let them out for their late night potty runs if I take Rosco inside first.  Once everything settles down, Rosco does too and he seems to sleep all night.  So far he has not torn up the blanket in his crate either.

Sept 23

This morning was the first time he left me alone to clean his kennel and went off to explore the play yard.  Before this he tended to be with me, underfoot and in the way as he demanded attention, while I worked.  My neighbor was out watering her garden and Rosco decided she needed barking at, so that helped to draw him away for a while.  He also peed in the yard for the first time I praised him lavishly for that, hopefully it will encourage him to do that more often.

He is also sleeping through the night once I crate him in the bunkhouse.  I get him out again as soon as possible in the morning and he has not messed up his crate.

Sept 29

For the past three nights Rosco has been sleeping outside with his foster friends instead of being herded inside the bunkhouse to be crated so he doesn’t keep the whole mountain awake with his shrill (and LOUD) barking.  He seems to have learned that being well behaved means he gets to stay out with his friends.

Last night he did get into a session of howling between 2:30 and 3:30, but it was a soft “wooo, wooo, wooo” and it was intermittent.  I doubt it disturbed anyone.  I probably would not have heard it had I not been awake anyway.

Oct 4

Yesterday Marie got home late because she stopped for groceries on the way. Feeding time for all of us was later than normal as a result.

I was out feeding the foster dogs and Rosco started growling, snarling, and barking viciously: his back was up and teeth showing. But he was facing the back of the kennels. “What in the world is going on here?” I wondered, and I began looking to see what he was so upset about.

Then I realized: the setting sun was casting my shadow on the back wall of the kennels and he was trying to defend us all from this dark intruder.

Rosco is a knucklehead sometimes, but quite devoted.

Oct. 11

Not much progress this week.  He’s a little better at leash walking, but I have to keep him of a really short lead or he runs circles around me and binds my legs.  He also still has the bad habit of refusing to pee in the yard, but waiting until he’s back in his room, then squatting like a girl and flooding his room again.

There was another dog that a rescue wanted to pull from Animal Control, and wanted me to foster for a few weeks.  But I didn’t have room since none of my current fosters are ready to be in-house dogs.  SO I decided to build another kennel.  A temporary job, but secure and comfy.  Given Rosco’s propensity to pee all over, I decided to move him into the temp-kennel and let Ford have Kennel #2 — once I’d power washed and sanitized it really well.

Well, Ford got pulled by another agency the day before I finished this kennel.  I had to make a door from scratch, that took longer than I’d thought.  But Rosco seems to actually be happier where he is than he ever was in the “good” kennel.  Probably because he’d been on dirt since he was born, and that’s what he’s used to.  He’s drinking less water, peeing less, and is willing to use the yard.  Go figure!

Nov 12

The past month has seen slow improvement in Rosco’s behavior.  He has come to the realization that he gets more affection when he is not a whirling dervish trying to demand my attention by nipping at my hands and tripping me.  He is much better at walking on a leash.  And he is doing more solo-play (exploration) in the yard, instead of being always running tight circles around my legs.

He is energetic.  He will ALWAYS be energetic.  His thought processes are frantic, so his attention levels are low.  He is still food-centric, so training with treats is counterproductive.  Using petting works better.

Nov. 15

We said our “farewell”s to Rosco yesterday as he boarded the rescue bus to New Jersey. He did us proud. Earlier in the day he had blood drawn for a heartworm test, he sat still and didn’t even flinch at teh needle stick.
He was talkative (yippy) as we drove hither and yon, but wasn’t thrashing around in his crate.
When we got to the transport site he walked calmly to the staging area and was timid but controlled as other people greeted him.  He let me lift him into his crate and entered willingly.
In short: he behaved like a normal dog, which has been our goal all along. Good boy, Rosco, and happy tails to you!

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Louis Steele: Notes on a foster dog

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This is a foster dog diary post about Louis. New information will be added to the end of this post so all info on this dog is kept in one place and in chronological order. If you subscribe for updates, a short note will be sent when updates are posted. If you don’t subscribe, check back periodically to see what’s been added.

Last Updated: Sept 15

Pulled from Newport Animal Control by Steele Away Home – Canine Foster and Rescue.  PMFC is fostering.

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Sept 7, 2019
  • Breed: Hound
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: 39.4 Pounds
  • Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Typical for a hound
  • Gets Along with Dogs: Yes
  • Gets Along with Cats: Unknown
  • Gets Along with People: Yes
  • Crate Trained: No
  • Housebroken: No
  • Departure date: Sept 12, 2019 going to S.A.V.E.

History

Unknown

Progress Summary:

Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.

Dog to Dog Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: No Yes

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Yes
  • Jumps up on people: Not usually
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: Not great, but managable

House Dog Training

  • Willingly enters his crate: No Yes
  • Is calm/quiet while in crate: No Yes
  • Understands going outside to potty
    No Yes
  • Alerts me of need to go outside
    No Yes
  • Is destructive of bedding and/or toys
    No Yes
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: No Yes
  • Stays off people furniture: No Yes

Commands:

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

Louis’ Medical

  • DA2PP: 03/14/2019 (Animal Control)
    .             06/27/2019 (Animal Control)
  • Bordatella: 03/14/2019 (Animal Control)
  • Wormed: 03/14/2019, Pyrantel Pamoate (Animal Control)
  • Rabies: 09/07/2019 (Paws&Claws)
  • Spay/Neuter: 09/07/2019 (Paws&Claws)
  • Heartworm Test: 09/07/2019 NEGATIVE (Paws&Claws)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . 09/12/2019, ?product?, ?dose?
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . 09/08/2019, Sentinel, 2, 11-25 lbs doses
  • NOTES:
    . Has a scabby spot on lower back which looks to be from chewing or rubbing against kennel fencing.
    .

Diet

4health Salmon & Potato recipe kibble
1¼ cup in AM, 1 cup in PM

Progress Updates

In chronological order, newest at the bottom. Some pictures are linked to a more detailed Doggy Tale about that update, click those to open the related story.

Sept 7th

Louis making like a frog

I picked Louis up from Animal Control this morning and took him to Steele Away Home’s medical day for neutering.  He crated up and rode well, deciding that making like a splayed frog was hes best way to ride.  It worked and he rode there and them home like this without peeing or pooping in his crate.

I’m told he was good while he waited to: no fussing or carrying on in his crate.  He seems to not be bothered much by his surgery, and has not been licking at his incision.

Sept 12

Louis left us today, heading to New Jersey to find a forever home through S.A.V.E.  He rode well, walked politely to the staging area and crated up without a fuss.  He’s a good boy, a handsome boy, and I hope he finds a home again quickly.  Safe travels Louis!

Sept 15

ADOPTED!

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Martin NAC: Notes on a foster dog

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This is a foster dog diary post about Martin. New information will be added to the end of this post so all info on this dog is kept in one place and in chronological order. If you subscribe for updates, a short note will be sent when updates are posted. If you don’t subscribe, check back periodically to see what’s been added.

Last Updated: Dec. 24, 2019

This sweet, affectionate little fellow looks like a puppy, but he’s not.  He is almost 2 years old, thus fully grown, and a really good boy.

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Aug. 23
  • Breed: Golden Retriever / Black Lab / Husky
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: 47 Pounds
  • Spay/Neutered: Sept 4th, 2019
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Gentle, sweet, well-behaved.
  • Gets Along with Dogs: Yes, loves to play.
  • Gets Along with Cats: Yes.  If they run, he will chase.  If they confront him, he backs down.
  • Gets Along with People: Yes
  • Gets Along with Children: Yes, he loves kids.
  • Housebroken/Crate Trained: Yes.
  • Departure date: August 26th  October 21, 2019 November 8, 2019

History

This precious boy was removed from an abusive environment, along with several other dogs.  He was living in a small pen on someone’s porch.  But you would not know it by his behavior, he is as loving and eager to please and any dog from a perfect home.  Martin was adopted, and well loved, but had to be returned due to no fault of his own.

Progress Summary:

Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.

Dog to Dog Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs
    Yes

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Yes (gives great hugs)
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Yes
  • Jumps up on people: Not really, gives gentle hugs
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: Yes

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: No
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: No
  • Stays off people furniture: Mostly We allow him on the people bed, not on the living room furniture.

Commands:

  • Comes when called: Yes
  • Sits on command: Yes
  • Down / Off: Yes
  • Shake / Paw: Yes
  • Crates on command: Yes (with bribe)

Medical

  • DA2PP: 08/21/2019 (NAC)
    .             10/28/2019 (PMFC)
  • Bordatella: 08/21/2019 (NAC)
    .                   10/28/2019 (PMFC)
  • Wormed:
    . 10/26 – 10/28/2019, Fendbendazole, 10 ml
  • Rabies: 08/22/2019 (Cedarwood)
  • Spay/Neuter: Sept 4, 2019 (Cedarwood)
  • Heartworm Test: 10/31/2019 – Neg (Cedarwood)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . 08/22/2019, Capstar, 25+ lbs
    . Early Sept, Frontline
    . 10/18/2019, Fipronil, 45-88 lbs
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . 10/18/2019, Ivermectin/Glycerine, 0.5 ml

Progress Updates

In chronological order, newest at the bottom.

Aug 26

We only had the privilege of fostering this sweet boy for a weekend.  We “borrowed” him from Newport Animal Control because we knew he was gentle, calm, and affectionate, as well as being a really good looking dog.  The Quilts & Canines event was coming up and we figured that would be a great venue to help this boy find a forever home.

I picked him up on Friday and took him to our favorite groomer: Kathy’s Grooming Parlor in Newport.  She brushed all the under fur out and bathed him.  He came out looking and smelling so much better.  He came home and spent the night with us. and we took him to the show on Saturday.

We put him in a portable kennel in front of our booth.  It had a roof to keep the rain and or sun off of him.  Many people came over to visit with him.  Almost all commented on what a well behaved boy he is.  Several said they’d adopt him in a heartbeat if it wasn’t for (something).

Someone we are familiar with who was also a “vendor” at the show, came to visit him several times.  Finally she said that she just loved this boy and would adopt him in a minute, but can’t afford the adoption fee right now.  Another near-by “vendor”, Cathy, overheard this conversation.  A little while after Ms. R left, Cathy came and asked if she could take Martin for a walk.  We know Cathy well and were confident in her ability to manage Martin.

They walked around the perimeter of the show and ended up at Ms. R’s tent.  There they stood and talked for a while.  Then they called me over.  We discussed several things including what was involved in an adoption and what the adoption fee covers.  It’s really quite a bargain, there is no “profit” involved for either Animal Control or the Veterinarian.

Then Cathy said, “If I pay the adoption fee and a couple months of food, would you adopt Martin and give him a good home?”

Ms. R said, “Yes, I’d be happy too” and just then, Martin stood up and hugged her!  We were all near tears at that point.

I filled out the adoption paperwork with Ms. R and we agreed on a time to meet at Animal Control so they could finalize things and schedule Martin’s surgery.

That appointment went off without a hitch this morning, and Ms. R took her new family member home with her.

Oct. 18

But it seems the fencing Ms. R has around her yard is not high enough to keep Martin in her yard and she’s afraid he’s going to get hurt by running loose.  So, with a broken heart, she returned Martin.  We will begin looking for another home for this sweet boy.

Later that afternoon …

It has been an afternoon of whirlwind communications.  The connections that were made here are multi-faceted and difficult to explain, but there was a lady, Martha, who stopped by to visit with Martin several times while we had him at Quilts and Canines.  She was thinking about adopting him but wasn’t sure she and her husband were ready for another: their last dog had died of old age not long ago.  By the time she decided she did want to do this, Martin had already been adopted by Ms.R.  Martha was disappointed, but thought, “If that wasn’t Gods plan for them …”

Today I put the word out that he was available again and it worked it’s way quickly back to Martha.  Martha called me.  We discussed things.  I liked what I heard, she liked what she heard.  We have a meet & greet between Martin and Martha and her husband scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.  We are excited and hopeful.

Oct 19

Martin came in after he had dinner to join our gang for Friday Sci-Fi night.  The dogs all got chewies while Marie and I ate dinner.  When the dishes and tray tables were cleared away  Martin came out to cuddle with Marie in front of the fire.

Teach me how to Facebook, Doug!

At bed time Martin went back to his crate and did fine while we were milling around getting ready.  When we settled and the lights went out Martin got lonely and fussy, so I went to sleep on the sofa to be near him.  That made him happy and he slept through the night.

This morning he got up and went outside to pee with the other house dogs, then Martin and I went to the den to kill time on the computer.  Martin wanted to help.

I took Martin outside and he played with Blondie Bear while I cleaned kennels.  He was ZOOMING around and having just the BEST time!  That wore him out and when we went inside I trimmed his toenails, wiped the dust and dirt off of him with a damp cloth, then brushed him out.  He gave me no trouble at all with any of this.  He is SUCH a good boy!  He’s resting in his crate with a hoofie until it’s time to go meet his potential new family.

Martin says, “Yeah, I’d like living here.”

The meet-n-greet went well.  They loved Martin, Martin enjoyed running around in their large fenced back yard, which includes a large gazebo with a BED in it!  A large house with lots of rooms to explore, and he was perfectly well-behaved  — well, except for eating a bowl of cat food.  But no one held that against him since it WAS on the floor.  He liked both Martha and Dick, and wanted to meet their cats, but the cats were hiding.

“I need a snuggle.”

Martin came back home with us for the weekend to give his new family time to prepare for him to move in.  We will do the paperwork and make it all official on Monday.  Dick and Martha have a history of taking in unwanted dogs and keeping them until they pass on of old age.  They have no dogs at the moment, their last one having been euthanized to end her pain after having been with them for 16 years.  They said they weren’t going to get any more dogs.  But then Martha met Martin … well, one more.

Oct 21

We all met at Newport Animal Control so the management there could fill out the paperwork and make the adoption legal.  Then Martin went home with Mommy and Daddy who are having a tough time remembering to refer to martin as he or him because their past several dogs (all long term pets) were female and that pattern is ingrained.  Martin says, “I don’t care, as long as you love me.”

Oct 25

We are 0 for2 with Martin, and the reason for the return this time is even more sad than his losing another home.

Martins new dog Daddy is the one who stays home with Martin during the days.  Mom works most weekdays.  It seems having a bouncy 50 pound dog around has  brought home to them just how bad Dad’s health issues are.  Martha told me, “I don’t know which is worse, losing Martin or realizing that my husband is so sick.”

Martin even came to an understanding with their cats.

My heart goes out to them, this is really hard for them both.

Martin is back here with us, and we think we have a solution for him.  I’m waiting on a return message, then we’ll know.

UPDATE: Animal Rescue Network of New England has accepted him and has made reservations on a rescue transport that rolls through here Friday, November 8th.  He needs a couple of tests done and a Health Certification before he can travel across state lines, but three times should be the charm for this charming boy.

Nov. 1

Martins Health Certification went well yesterday.  He is healthy over all, free of heartworms and free of intestinal parasites.  So he is cleared for interstate travel next weekend.  He likes playing outdoors in this chilly weather, he should do well in New England.  He’s also quite entertaining at meal times.  We enjoy dinner and a show with him around.

Nov 2

We have a ‘No Dogs On the People Furniture’ rule in our house.  Guess who feels he’s above the rules?

Nov. 8

This morning we were admiring Martin’s wonderful feet. When we were done he said, “OK, I let you see my feet, now you owe me a belly rub.”

On the way to meet Martins ride to New Hampshire, Martin decided he liked looking out my window best.  Once we met up with the PETS Transport, Martin was eager to ride in the BIG truck.  At one point he was standing on his hinders with his fore-paws up on the ladder trying his best to get up there by himself like the driver had.  He could not quite manage that so I lifted him up there once the driver had Martin’s roomette set up for him with the blanket and hoofie we brought along.

Safe travels, dear Martin!

Dec 24

Martin, has been traveling the East Coast with his foster-to-adopt family.  That family has decided they officially LOVE this boy and officially adopted him today.  They’re calling him Duncan.  Martin says, “That’s okay as long as I get to sleep on the bed.”

The young man in the photo is a home-schooled teen who is his best friend.  He takes him for walks several times a day and rides his bike with Martin running alongside.  He spends a lot of time with Martin.

This is another example of shelters, fosters, and rescues working together to save canine lives and improve human lives.

A tip of the hat to City of Newport Animal Control for pulling him out of a bad situation, and Animal Rescue Network of New England for finding him the perfect forever home.  Merry Christmas, Martin!

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Lil’ Blue Steele: Notes on a foster dog

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This is a foster dog diary post about Lil Blue. New information will be added to the end of this post so all info on this dog is kept in one place and in chronological order. If you subscribe for updates, a short note will be sent when updates are posted. If you don’t subscribe, check back periodically to see what’s been added.

Last Updated: Oct. 12, 2019

Lil Blue had been dumped in a crate outside Animal Control during the weekend. The Manager asked me to look at him. He was scared to death and not doing well.  Clearly he could not stay there.

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: August 26, 2019
  • Breed: Blue Heeler Mix
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: @ 25 Pounds
  • Neutered: Sept 7th
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Affectionate, playful, and sweet.
  • Gets Along with Dogs: Yes
  • Gets Along with Cats: Yes
  • Gets Along with People: Yes
  • Crate Trained: Yes
  • Housebroken: Yes
  • Departure date: Sept 28, going to Lucky 7 Dog Rescue

Progress Summary:

Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.

For a listing of Doggy Tails that include Lil Blue [click here].

Dog to Dog Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Unknown Probably fine with older kids, may be too energetic for toddlers.  In either case, keep his nails trimmed, they get cat-like sharp.
  • Jumps up on people: Sometimes, but doing better
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: Yes

House Dog Training

  • Willingly enters his crate: Yes
  • Is calm/quiet while in crate: Yes Unless he needs to go out or is lonely/scared.
  • Understands going outside to potty: Yes
  • Alerts me of need to go outside: Yes
  • Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: No
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: Yes
    .     He can’t reach them (lol)
  • Stays off people furniture: No, but he knows its bad behavior.  Likes to test that boundary.

Commands:

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

Lil Blue’s Medical

  • DA2PP: Aug 28, 2019 (PMFC)
  • Bordatella: Aug 28, 2019 (PMFC)
  • Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
    . Aug 28-30 | Fendbendazole | 5 ml | PMFC
  • Rabies: Sept 7, 2019 (Claws and Paws)
  • Spay/Neuter: Sept 7, 2019 (Claws and Paws)
  • Heartworm Test: Sept 7, 2019, NEGATIVE (Claws and Paws)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . Aug 26, Capstar, 25+ lbs
    . Aug 27, Fipronil, 23 – 44 lbs
    . Sept 26, TevraPet-Activate-II, 0.8 ml
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . 09/07/2019, Sentinel, 11-25 lbs
  • Notes:
    . Infested with fleas at intake and has missing fur and irritated skin along his back.  Using Chlorhexadine to prevent infection in the raw spots.  Treated him for fleas (see above).  I do not think this is mange.
    . The vets who neutered him made no mention of skin disease, confirming my diagnosis above.  His fur is growing back in too.  He’s still itchy, seems to have dry skin.

Diet

Lil Blue is drinking water now so I’ve switched him to a dry diet: 3/4 cup 4heath Salmon & Potato formula twice a day.

Progress Updates

In chronological order, newest at the bottom.

Aug 26

I finished my morning deliveries and went home to e-mail Marie about Blue and the situation he was in.  I asked her if I could exceed our limit (again) for this pitiful fella (though we didn’t know what sex he was at the time because he was hunched up against a wall in the back, trembling like a leaf). Marie said, “Go get that poor dog!” So I did. Shades of Josephine’s story.  It took a while to earn his trust enough to guide him into a transport box to take him home.

Once I got him back here I let him borrow Blaze’s kennel while I cleaned out the transport box (he got scared during the trip and messed it up) and got things ready to bring him inside.  He started calming down as soon as he got here.

Out walking

Do I see Corgi here?

Resting after his walk

I want him to take a Capstar to be sure we aren’t bringing fleas into the house. He won’t eat anything I tried hiding it in (yet). Even lunch meat. Mom gave me some cat food when I took her the mail: that was my secret weapon when I worked at the Jeff County shelter. I’ll try that. If it works I can bring him inside to his room where I can continue working to calm him. He seems like a sweet little boy!

(UPDATE: The cat food worked!  He snarfed it down he needs a while for the Capstar to work, then I’ll bring him in and settle him in his crate.

Aug 27

Blue is coming out of his shell today.  On our morning walk he had his head up and a spring in his step.  There were a couple of times when I said, “Come on lil guy” and he actually followed me.  There is hope!

I also looked up some personality traits for Blue Heelers since I don’t know many details about them.  The Daily Puppy offered this:

Behavior with Other Animals

As natural herders, these pups try to herd other animals. They can be dominant toward other dogs in herding attempts, although early socialization can mitigate this. Blue heelers also nip the animals they’re herding, again due to instinct. They’re not trying to be mean. For this reason, blue heelers aren’t recommended around cats unless they have been raised with cats from puppyhood.

Behavior with People

In general, blue heelers enjoy a tight family bond, although they will test owners for dominance. If you can assert yourself as the alpha of the pack, your blue heeler will come to respect you. If you’re not willing to consistently take a pack leader stance, you may find the blue heeler temperament and energy level too much to handle. These dogs tend to be suspicious and watchful of strangers. Coupled with their family loyalty, this makes them excellent guard dogs.

He was dumped WITH a cat, so I suspect he’s been raised around cats and is okay with them.

“What? I’m just looking out the window.”

As of Sept 8 I have not seen him trying to herd the other dogs.  He likes to run with them, but is mindful of the size difference.

I HAVE seen the heeler dominance testing behavior, especially in regard to our rule of “no dogs on the sofa and people bed”.  I am firm but gentle in enforcing the rules and he is slowly accepting my assertion of being alpha.

Aug 29

Oddly enough, Lil Blue is forming a close friendship with Blaze.  Our littlest dog chooses to buddy up with our biggest dog?  Who’d have thought it?  He’s showing more of his true personality too.  There is separation anxiety, but that will settle out as he becomes confident he’s not being dumped again.  He is good in his crate, and he does let me know when he needs to go outside.

Aug. 30

Happy to be rid of the leash.

Lil Blue has learned to come when called, so I can safely let him out to free-range in the yard.  I still go out with him to watch over him (from a distance), but he may go where he wants.  He wanders, but he keeps me in sight.

He also gets to free-range inside most of the time.  He has been good about letting me know he needs to go outside by scratching on the door.

A little while ago Lil Blue was wandering the room while I worked at my desk. He was being good, just checking things out. Then he came to me, stood up on his hinders and started bouncing his front feet on my leg. That’s new. “What is it little guy, what do you want?”

He hopped down, ran to his room (crate) and stared inside. I looked closely and saw Buddy Beagle curled up in a ball in there. “He’s in my room! Make him get out, it’s MY room.”

I extracted Buddy Beagle. Lil Blue rushed in and took inventory then settled in saying, with a little pout, “It’s MY room!”

Sept 1

Lil Blue has  successfully slept through the night twice now.  Last night I moved his crate into the bedroom so I could sleep in the bed again.  It was a bit snug squeezing his crate in there, since we already have wall-to-wall dogs at night, and Blue had his own idea of a solution, but it worked out.

I took him out for a walk at 9:00 PM, he did his thing, went right back in and settled in his “room”.  He slept all the way through to 6:30 AM.  I got up to let Buddy Beagle out once and a couple of times to tend to my own needs and Blue didn’t fuss or demand to come along.  We went to church this morning and he was okay with that.  I think we’ve worked him through his separation anxiety.

Sept. 2

Lil Blue had quite an adventure today.  We started by my baking up a bunch of dog treats, most of which I will be delivering tomorrow. Blue is eager for the samples.

Then Blue and I loaded up for a truck ride. Lil Blue was not happy about this, I think he was afraid I too was going to dump him somewhere. I tried to assure him this was nothing like that.

He liked riding in the cart at Tractor Supply Co. while I gathered our monthly supplies. He also liked getting petted and fawned over by a store associate and a customer. One gal said, “You are SO adorable, if I didn’t have 6 dogs and a husband who says, ‘no more dogs’ I’d adopt you in a heart beat.”

The gal at the checkout offered him treats, but he refused them. He knew I had peanut butter treats in my pocket, he wanted one of those.

The ride back home was calmer, I think he figured out that we were on an adventure, not a dastardly deed. When we got home I let him run in the yard while I unloaded and stacked our monthly supply of kibble.

When we went inside, I removed his walking harness and he went to tell his tale to Blondie Bear. She was a touch envious, she loves going to TSC, but she said she was glad he’d had a good time.

Sept 7

Lil Blue was neutered today.  When we picked him up from surgery he was happy to see us and bouncy.  When his pain meds wore off, he began to walk stiffly and held his ears down flat on his head.  He did eat his dinner, leash walked with me several times to do his business, and he slept through the night.  He has not been licking at his incision.  If he’s still in pain in the morning I’ll get him some baby aspirin.

Sept 8

This morning I had to put Lil Blue in a cone to keep him from licking his neuter incision. He did not like that. He asked me to take it off. I did not.

We went outside after breakfast and Blue just sat in the grass facing away from me, refusing to “do” anything, refusing to acknowledge me when I called him. SO I went inside. Pretty soon he was at the back door with Callie and Jojo wanting back in. But he was still mad at me, I could tell.

So we crated most of the dogs and went to church.

When we got back Blue was so happy to see us he forgot, for a little while, that he was mad at me. We went outside again and Blue was not giving me the cold shoulder but wasn’t being affectionate either. He does get around really well with that cone though.

At dinner time I let Blue Free-range eat with the others. He did extremely well.

Where is Buddy, you ask? Buddy is in his crate eating. Buddy is a pig-dog and cannot be trusted around food.  Blondie, Callie, Josie, and Blue mind their own bowls and only their own bowls.  They’re good dogs.

And this evening his ears are back on top of his head. He’s feeling perky again and has forgiven me — though he’d still like me to take off the cone.

Sorry, Lil guy, I really am. Not yet.  But I’ll buy you a donut in the morning, that will be easier to handle.

He’s done an amazing job of adapting. Blue is a bright and resilient little fellow.

Sept 11

Lil Blue is doing well with his surgical recovery.  We bought him a donut collar to replace the cone, and he likes that much better.  Not that he had any real trouble with the cone.  Unlike most, Blue acclimated to the thing really quickly.  This is due in part to the fact he does not walk around with his nose to the ground — which turns the cone into a dozer blade — but also to the fact that he has an unusually heightened sense of spacial proximity.  He rarely ran the cone into things.

Lil Blue is now a regular member of the Breakfast Club (and the dinner club), able to eat in close proximity to all the other free-range dogs, and has lost all his anxiety.  Until recently he insisted I go out in the yard with him.  I didn’t have to be right next to him, but he needed to be able to see me.  For the past few days he has been leading the parade around the corner and out into the yard while I stay in the house.

I’m just watching out the window, dad.

Yeah, I caved – he is now allowed on the bed.

After getting his lovins, he sleeps at the foot of the bed.

Guardian of the Realm!

Nap time sentry

I’m ready for bed now.

Lil Blue likes hanging out in his “room”.

Lil Blue thinks he’s a wild dingo dog.

Who? Us? No, we’re not getting rowdy! Really!

“My kitty still loves me” Pouting after his bath.

Sept 28

We took Lil Blue to meet his ride north this morning.  We decided to take the Subaru, which is parked out front of our house, instead of the truck, which is always parked over by the kennels.  Blue wanted no part of going out the front door, “No, no, you keep telling me not to go out the front.”  and he remained skittish until I got him in the car and seated on Marie’s lap.  Then he calmed down and rode well.

He got fearful again when I took him out of the car and carried him to the transport van, but once he was in his crate, he settled in, laid down and watched as the other dogs were loaded.  He seemed to be doing fine, even as Marie and I disappeared from his sight.

I hope he has a pleasant trip and integrates quickly into his new foster home.  I miss him, but wish him well on his journey to finding a forever home.

Sept 29

We heard from Luck 7 Dog Rescue today: Lil Blue arrived safely and is settling into his new foster home well.  He is their current Dog of the Week.  Judging by his ears, he’s not thrilled with the costuming, but I’m glad he’s being well cared for.

Oct. 12 — ADOPTED!

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Cinnamon Steele: Notes on a foster dog

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This is a foster dog diary post about Cinnamon. New information will be added to the end of this post so all info on this dog is kept in one place and in chronological order. If you subscribe for updates, a short note will be sent when updates are posted. If you don’t subscribe, check back periodically to see what’s been added.

Last Updated: Sept 2, 2019

Cinnamon has been bounced around from foster to foster because of behavior issues.  Now she’s here at Piney Mountain to have those issues worked on.

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Aug 15th, 2019
  • Breed: Red Heeler
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: 62 Pounds
  • Spayed: Yes
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Calm, affectionate, I’m told she has separation anxiety: I have not seen that.
  • Gets Along with Dogs: Yes
  • Gets Along with Cats: Unknown.  Kills chickens.
  • Gets Along with People: Yes
  • Gets Along with Children: Yes, even toddlers.
  • Housebroken/Crate Trained: Not yet
  • Departure date: Sept 6th –> S.A.V.E.

History

Rejected by two other foster homes for behavior issues.  Otherwise I know nothing about this dog’s history.

Progress Summary:

Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.

For a listing of Doggy Tails that include Cinnamon [click here].

Dog to Dog Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: No Warns them off with a growl if they get too close.

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Yes
  • Jumps up on people: No
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: Yes

House Dog Training

  • Willingly enters her crate: No Yes
  • Is calm/quiet while in crate: No Yes
  • Understands going outside to potty
    No Yes
  • Alerts me of need to go outside
    No Yes
  • Is destructive of bedding and/or toys
    No Yes
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: No Yes
  • Stays off people furniture: No Yes

Commands:

  • Comes when called: Yes
  • Sits on command: Yes
  • Down / Off: Yes
  • Shake / Paw: Working on this
  • Kennels on command: Yes

Cinnamon’s Medical

  • DA2PP:  July 28, 2019 (SAH)
  • Bordatella: July 28, 2019 (SAH)
  • Wormed: July 28, 2019 Pyrantel Pamoate (SAH)
  • Rabies: July 31, 2018 (by)
  • Spay/Neuter: July 31, 2018 (by)
  • Heartworm Test: July 31, 2018, Neg (by)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . July 28, product?, 0.7 ml
    . Sept 2, product?, 0.7 ml
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . July 31, Nuheart, dose?
    . Sept 2, ValuHeart, Lg Dog

Progress Updates

In chronological order, newest at the bottom. Some pictures are linked to a more detailed Doggy Tale about that update, click those to open the related story.

Aug 15, 2019

Cinnamon’s former foster brought her to me late in the day and I needed to leave immediately afterward for an appointment.  Cinnamon gave me no trouble in crossing the play yard to the kennels.  I let her say “howdy” to her kennel mates, Sable and Blaze.  The plan was to have her bunk in with Sable.  I was told she was 40 pounds, she’s 62 and much larger than Sable.  Cinnamon did NOT like Sable.  Wasn’t crazy about Blaze either.  But then she was newly arrived and these two were not being as friendly as they could.

I had to hastily make other arrangements for her containment while we were away.  Former foster #1 said Cinnamon would destroy a crate if left alone in the house.  So that was not an option.  Former foster #2 said Cinnamon had ripped holes through two chain-link kennels to get out and kill her chickens.  So even if Sable or Blaze seemed like a good roomie situation, the chain link may not hold her.  So I put her in our max-security cell which is armor plated on the lower two feet.  When we got back home that night, Cinnamon was still where I put her, so that is working.  But that kennel had been promised to a shelter dog at risk of being put down.  This was an emergency situation that may cost another dog its life.

Aug 16

Cinnamon met the house dogs this morning and I introduced her (face-to-face) to Blaze this afternoon.  Those intros went well.  She no longer has harsh words for Sable either.  She loves playing with Blaze, they had a grand time running in the yard together while I was cleaning their kennels, then hanging out in the shade when they got tired.

She also decided she likes Blaze’s room and asked if she could bunk in there with him.

After I secured Blaze, I took Cinnamon for a leash walk.  She did well, so she gets her gold star for that skill.  She even went back into her kennel all on her own for a rest when we were done.

Aug 17

Cinnamon played with Josephine and Callie today.  At first Josie was hesitant because Cinnamon is twice her weight and three times her size, but Cinnamon was careful and these two played well together.

When Callie joined the game, she would charge in and bump Cinnamon with her chest.  Cinni would go stiff and fall over like one of those fainting goats, “I’m dead, you killed me”.  It was hilarious.

Aug 19

While cleaning the kennels I let Sable out first to run around solo.  When I got her kennel scrubbed out, and the dog house and dog bed scrubbed, and the disinfectant down on the floor, I let Blaze out to play with Sable so I could work on his room while the disinfectant worked in Sable’s.  When Sable’s room was done, I put her back in and let out Cinnamon to  play with Blaze, planning to put Blaze away when his room was ready and give Cinnamon some solo time.  But when I called Blaze, he and Cinnamon came galloping over and ran into Blaze’s room.  I figured they both wanted a drink of water and Cinni would come back out afterward.  But no, she settled in on Blaze’s bed and said, “I’m staying here with my friend.”  Blaze seemed okay with that, so I closed and secured the door.  Once I got the disinfectant down on Cinnamon’s floor I headed out to do a yard pick-up while it did it’s thing.  While I was out I heard Cinnamon yipping.  Blaze gave out one loud, annoyed “WOOF!”, Cinnamon yipped some more, then it got quiet.

When I got back to the kennels, I found Blaze standing at his door giving me a look: “Let me out, Doug, she’s being greedy.”

Cinnamon had grabbed Blazes bed AND his chew toy and wasn’t going to share.

But, there were no hostilities, just hurt feelings. Poor Blaze!  He’s just trying to be hospitable and this eye-batting cutie-gal is taking advantage of him!

During the afternoon play session I moved Cinnamon’s bed and toy into Blaze’s room, but on the opposite side of the room.  Now they each have a bed and a toy.  The beds should work out, but it may well be that both toys will end up under Cinni’s paws.

Blaze says, “MY bed.  MY toy. You just stay on your side of the room, girlie.”

This may not work out and I’ll be moving Cinnamon back into her own room, so we’re NOT hanging out the vacancy sign just yet.

Aug 27

Cinnamon has her room to herself again.  Martin: the guest who was staying in Blaze’s (mostly unused) kennel is gone on to his forever home now and Blaze has a “room” when he needs it.

I let Cinnamon play with Sable last week.  That was a mistake.  Sable plays hard. Cinnamon picked up on that and carried that style of play into her play with Blaze after I put Sable up.  Blaze didn’t like that. He plays with Sable that way, but Sable is considerably smaller than Cinnamon.  Blaze got defensive and they got into a tiff. Everyone went to solo-play for the rest of the week. They are doing better now.

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Lemaster Steele

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This precious boy has obviously been someones treasured companion. He shows no aggression, is well behaved, knows some commands, and is housebroken. All he needs is a family to love him again.

Last updated: July 4, 2019

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: June 15, 2019
  • Breed: Boston Terr/AmBull mix
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: 31 Pounds
  • Spay/Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Affectionate, well behaved, gentle
  • Gets Along with Dogs: Yes (cats too)
  • Gets Along with People: Yes (even toddlers)
  • Housebroken/Crate Trained: Yes
  • Departure date: July 4, 2019

History

Picked up as a stray by The City of Newport Animal Control and not claimed, but this good boy has obviously been someone’s house dog.

Progress Notes:

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

Continue Reading…

Luna NAC: Notes on a foster dog

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This is a foster dog diary post about Luna. New information will be added to the end of this post so all info on this dog (well, most of it) is kept in one place and in chronological order. If you subscribe for updates, a short note will be sent when updates are posted. If you don’t subscribe, check back periodically to see what’s been added.

Last Updated: Aug 8, 2019

Luna was a stray picked up by Newport Animal Control and taken to their facility. She is a Great Dane / Black Lab mix. Not terribly large as, Danes go, but larger than the average dog and quite strong despite being scrawny from hunger.  Luna could easily climb out of the regular kennels at N.A.C.  The only kennel they have that could contain her is their “vicious dog cell” and that is in a part of the building that is not air conditioned. In the late-June mid-day heat, it becomes far too hot for anything to stay in there long. They needed another solution. So the manager, Lisa, reached out to me: would I foster her for them? We found a way to make that happen and I picked her up this morning.

Continue Reading…