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Creo Terrhund: Notes on a foster dog

Creo’s is a strange and unhappy tale.  We’re trying to give him a happy ending.

Last Updated: July 14, 2020

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: June 5th, 2020 (remote foster home)
  • Breed: Black & Tan Hound / Terrier mix
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Youth, Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Birth: 3/11/2016
  • Weight: 49 Pounds
  • Spayed/Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Devoted, protective, active
  • PetFinder Listing: 48152661
  • ADOPTED!
  • Departure date: July 13, 2020

History

Creo came out of a hoarding situation created by a mentally handicapped man.  He was abused in ways we can’t even describe.  Yet, Creo so desperately wants to be loved that he will follow his people around all day.  He climbs out of an outdoor kennel, not to run off but so he can go sit on the porch and wait to be let in with his family.  He needs socialization so he does not see all visitors as a threat to his family.  He lived in a foster home, but it was remote and isolated, he became too protective.  He lived in a shelter and was allowed to wander the halls during the day to meet new people.  That was nice, but being shut up in a kennel and “abandoned” at night stressed him out and he began behaving unpredictably, nipping a couple of people.  They were going to put him down.  We pulled him to give him one last chance.

Creo’s Progress Summary:

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

Relational Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
  • Preferred style of play: Romping
  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Fears men, especially in hats
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: No
    . Cats: Yes
  • Jumps up on people: No
  • 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: Yes.  Will sit and wait patiently as Fridge is opened to get a treat.
  • Stays off people furniture: No (sleeps on the bed or floor)

Terms and Process of Adoption:

  • If local you may arrange a meet-n-greet.
  • Submit a completed Adoption Application (PDF form, print, complete, return).
  • Contact information for your veterinarian is required and we will do a reference check.  We do not adopt to people who neglect their dog’s health.
  • An adoption Contract must be signed by PMFC and Adopter.  This is a legal document and an actual signature is required.  If the form must be mailed back and forth, allow time for that to happen.  Electronic PDF is allowed if you can print/scan.
  • Adopter arranges transport if needed.  We have worked with PETS LLC and HEARTS LLC (fees are paid to the transport service).
  • Adoption fee is $150.00

Commands:

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

Medical

  • DA2PP: 1/13/2020 (F.A.S.)
    . Booster: date (by)
  • Bordatella: 1/13/2020 (F.A.S.)
  • Wormed: Date | Product | Dose | By
    . 1/13-15/2020 Panacur 9.2 ml F.A.S.
    .
  • Rabies: 02/03/2020 (U.T.C.V.M.)
  • Microchip: yes (Datamars – not registered)
    http://www.petmicrochiplookup.org/
    To register: https://www.freepetchipregistry.com/
  • Spay/Neuter: 02/13/2020 (U.T.C.V.M.)
  • Heartworm Test: 03/10/2020, Negative (Claws&Paws)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . 3/11/2020 K9 Advantix II
    . 5/13/2020 Bravecto, 2.14 ml
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . 3/10/2020, Heartguard,
    . 6/10/2020, Heartguard,
  • NOTES:
    .
    .

Diet

Kibble

Gallery

In chronological order, newest at the bottom.

Progress Updates

Progress notes are listed below, in chronological order, newest at the bottom.

June 23

Creo is in foster with Gwen, who has been caring for him since he was brought into the local animal shelter, along with several other dogs, and surrendered by a man who (according to shelter staff) was beating the dogs with his hat.  Creo is, therefore, skittish around men, especially men with hats.  He does fine with women.

Creo is learning his commands.  He is house broken, and is generally obedient.

July 13, 2029

Creo was adopted by a Veteran today.  Their meet-n-greet went very well with Creo being uncharacteristically accepting and attentive of the older gentlemen.   Congratulations to Dennis for arranging this great match!

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Spirit Huskador: Notes on a foster dog

This playful, spirited  boy is just a pup and has not had much if any training, but we’ll get him settled down and teach him to be a Good Boy.

Last Updated: June 13, 2020

Base Info:

    • Arrival date: Apr. 30, 2020
    • Breed: Husky / Black Lab mix
    • Sex: Male
    • Age: Youth,  Adult, Mature, Senior
      Birthdate: November 2019
    • Weight: 24.3 Pounds
    • Neutered: May 14, 2020
    • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
    • Temperament: Playful, vigorous, affectionate
    • PetFinder Listing
    • Available for adoption?  ADOPTED
    • Departure date: June 12, 2020

History

Spirit was one of four dogs surrendered by a family claiming they were moving and they could not afford to support the dogs.  Spirit spent only a few hours at the Friends Animal Shelter of Cocke County before we happened by and agreed to take him.  The shelter manager knew he, being a Husky, would degrade quickly  in close confinement.  She also wants him adopted to someone experienced in handling Huskies, which she is not likely to find locally.  We are able to give him more comfortable accommodations and cast a wider net for a proper permanent home, so we took him with us.

Spirit’s Progress Summary:

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

Relational Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Some dogs.
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: No
  • Preferred style of play: RUNNING and nipping
  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Yes (Too rowdy for toddlers)
    . Cats: Unknown but probably not (Husky)
  • Jumps up on people: Likes to give hugs
  • Mouths: Yes, but doing better.
  • Walks well on a leash: No.  Working on that.

House Dog Training

  • Willingly enters his crate: No Yes
  • Is calm/quiet while in crate: No Yes
  • Understands going outside to potty: Yes
  • Alerts me of need to go outside: 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: Yes
  • Down / Off: Yes
  • Shake / Paw: Not yet
  • Kennels on command: Not reliably, almost

Medical

  • DA2PP: 04/30/2020 Friends Animal Shelter
    . Booster: 05/14/2020 (Cedarwood)
  • Bordatella: 04/30/2020 FAS
  • Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
    .   04/30 – 05/02  Panacur  5ml  PMFC
  • Rabies: May 14 Cedarwood Veterinary
  • Neuter: May 14 Cedarwood Veterinary
  • Heartworm Test:
    .  May 14 Cedarwood Veterinary: NEGATIVE
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    .  05/03/2020 Fipronil 9.70% 23-45 pounds
    .
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . 05/15/2020, Ivermectin, .25 ml
    .
  • Microchipped? YES (PetKey) Not yet registered.
  • NOTES:
    .  Thin and bony under his fur, working on that
    .  Carprophen (75 mg) given for 5 days after neuter.

Diet

4health Puppy kibble, 1½ cups AM, 1½ cups PM.  Retriever Beef Stick mid-day, PMFC Peanut Butter Cookies for compliance.

Gallery

In chronological order, newest at the bottom.

Progress Updates

Progress notes are listed below, in chronological order, newest at the bottom.

May 3

Spirit has been with us a few days now and we’ve had a chance to evaluate his behavior.

He is a rowdy boy and tends to get wild when we interact with him.  But, when we catch a moment when he settles to pet him, he calms down immediately and will happily stand, leaning against our legs, enjoying his petting.  When he’s had enough petting he wanders off into the yard to play.  If we stop too soon he gets rowdy again.

Being a Husky he is vocal, but he is quiet at night.  He is playful, but a bit assertive with the other dogs.  I’m working on helping him learn his place in the pack.  Getting him neutered will help.

He does guard-food.  As skinny as he is that’s not surprising.  I would not feed him with other dogs yet.

He appears to be in good health.  He’s been wormed and saw no worms being ejected.  We’ll get his rabies, microchip, and a health screening as soon as we can schedule the neuter.

May 5

Being just a puppy, Spirit has an energetic, playful side. But he also has a sweet, attentive side. But, it would seem, no middle ground at all!

May 11

In the past I have allowed Spirit to play in the yard with some of the other dogs.  He did fine with Buddy: he intimidates lil Josephine, but she hunkers down and waits for him to lose interest.  Blondie will play with him sometimes and when he gets too rowdy she tells him off.  Generally he listens and runs off to play in the yard.  I don’t trust him around Callie.  Callie has been getting … reactive, to pushy dogs.  Best to keep them separate for now.

Spirit has started being hateful toward other dogs when they are in the yard and he is kenneled, especially Callie and Buddy.  I assumed it was because they were free and he confined.  The other day I let Spirit out of his kennel with Buddy in the yard.  Spirit was on a long lead.  He took off toward Buddy and I clamped down on that lead.  I burned my hand, but stopped him a couple feet short of Buddy while Spirit snapped and snarled at Buddy.  Buddy just stood there looking at him like, “What’s YOUR problem?”  I reeled Spirit in and put him back in his kennel.

Blondie is big enough to intimidate him when he gets too rowdy, I’m keeping him away from the Beagles for now.  He’s scheduled to be neutered later this week, maybe that will take the spit and vinegar out of him.

May 14

Spirit was neutered today.  He passed his Heartworm test, so I can put him on a preventative.  He was clear of intestinal parasites.  And he did well in his surgery.  He rebounded quickly and has been quite active and HUNGRY since he got home.  I am having trouble keeping a cone on him, being a Husky he is quite clever in finding ways to get it off (and chew it up).  This will likely be this cone’s last tour of duty!

May 19

Spirit has done exceptionally well in his surgery recovery and in his efforts to destroy the cone he wears to keep him from licking at his incision.

May 22

Spirit finds the cone he’s wearing frustrating and entertaining at the same time.  It impedes his free movement, limits his vision, and interferes with feeding and drinking.  He learned quickly to hold his head up while running so the cone does not dig in and send him into a somersault.  Eating and drinking are still a comically messy process because the cone tends to flip his dish over.

When bored, he does his best to eat the cone.  He has gotten out of it a couple of times, but he did not go straight to licking his incision.  That is still looking fine, and I will remove (and dispose of) his cone Sunday evening.  That will reduce his frustration level and make him more compliant again.

May 30

Spirit had a meet-n-greet with Alicia and her dog, Savage.  Savage is a full-blooded Husky and Alicia has done a great job of training him, he is a calm, gentle, patient fellow.  Alicia wants a play mate for Savage, but as we brought them together Spirit insisted on trying to nip Savage in the face.  I had Spirit on a lead so I was able to prevent that from happening, but he would not be dissuaded.  We eventually labeled this attempt a failure and they left.  I downgraded is rating for dog compatibility a notch.  I think he was trying to play, but it was inappropriate play.

Housebreaking

We have had inquiries about adopting him.  As to “Is he housebroken?”, I have to answer: probably.

He was living with a family and three other dogs.  I do not know what their living arrangements were, but Spirit definitely knows what the door to the house is and wants in there.  When he needs to potty he does yell for me and if I’m quick he will hold it until released into the yard.

He plays hard and is destructive of blankets and toys.  Not in an aggressive way, just being playful.  I would crate him when left alone in a home for an extended time, at least until he learns the routine and rules of your home.

Why Limited to a Husky-Experienced Home?

Huskies are a unique breed in the dog world.  They are exceptionally smart, and as is typical of the smarter breeds, they tend to be … opinionated.  If you let them, they will dominate your home.  Heading that off is not difficult, it just takes consistency in making it clear that you are the pack leader.  Most Huskies also shed like crazy — this has not been the case with Spirit, but as a rule, they do.  Huskies tend to be vocal and like to converse with their owners, sometimes loudly.  Huskies are strong, energetic dogs with tons of stamina (sled dogs, duh!).  If any of this will grate on your nerves, you do not want a Husky.

Not long ago shelters worked through a glut of Huskies because people saw them on Game of Thrones and wanted one, only to find they were not prepared for Husky ownership and dumped them.  I know, I worked in a shelter then and saw it first hand.  It was heart breaking seeing these gorgeous, personality filled dogs being adopted because they were Huskies and then returned days later because they were … Huskies.

But, for those who will set and maintain boundaries; have the time, space, and energy to work with the dog; and own a good vacuum; Huskies are highly rewarding and entertaining companions.

On the Up Side

For a Husky, Spirit is not as vocal as most (usually), he hardly sheds at all, he likes to play in water, and he is quite a lover (all traits he gets from his Lab side).  And he is a gorgeous dog.  He’s really smart.  Small for a Husky, he’s easier to leash walk.  He will make a great companion … for someone who isn’t expecting him to be a lazy Labrador.

June 12, 2020

I love you, Mamma, take me home with you!

After quite a few inquiries and two false starts on adoption (both fell through after being approved), Spirit was adopted today.  His new Mom has lots of Husky experience, a fenced yard, and her references checked out glowingly and quickly.   She had all the information I needed and we don’t (can’t) do home inspections, so I saw no good reason to make her wait while we considered it.  I did call the other member of the adoption committee and discussed it with her, so it was still done “by the book” it’s just a smaller book than what rescues do.

Spirit looked a little confused at first, “Where are we going, Mamma?” But he settled in and once they got to hi new home had had TOYS to play with and gas to lounge in, an ladies to dote on him. He’s a HAPPY BOY!

Happy tails, Spirit!

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Chip Schnauzhuahua: Notes on a foster dog

A cute, playful fellow with a good temperament.

Last Updated: Nov 3, 2020

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: March 16, 2020
  • Breed: Schnauzer/Chihuahua mix
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: 14.0 Pounds
  • Spayed/Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Playful, affectionate, a little needy (Chi)
  • Departure date: April 24, 2020, headed to A.R.N.N.E.

History

One of a bonded pair owned by an elderly woman who developed dementia and could no longer properly care for her boys.  The woman’s daughter surrendered them to Animal Control.

Chip’s Progress Summary:

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

Relational Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
  • Preferred style of play: Mostly he just follows either me or Carme around.  Likes to run with Josephine.
  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Yes
    . Cats: No Yes
  • Jumps up on people: Yes
  • Mouths: Yes (gently)
  • Walks well on a leash: Yes

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: No (he stands up instead)
  • Down / Off: No
  • Shake / Paw: No
  • Kennels on command: Yes

Chip’s Medical

  • DA2PP: 02/2/20 (NAC)
    . Booster: 02/26/20 (NAC)
  • Bordatella: 02/2/20 (NAC)
  • Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
    . 02/2/20 | Pyrantel | 1.2 cc | NAC
  • Rabies: 04/14/20 (Cedarwood) #000321
  • Spay/Neuter: Prior to surrender
  • Heartworm Test: 03/16/20, NEG, (Cedarwood)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . 02/12/20 Capstar, 11.4 mg (NAC)
    . 02/26/20 Frontline Plus (NAC)
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . 03/16/20, Ivermectin, .1 ml (PMFC)
    . 04/16/20, Ivermectin, .1 ml (PMFC)
  • NOTES:
    . Has fur loss from flea allergy.  Bathing with Keto-C shampoo has helped heal that and the fur is growing back in.  We will continue this treatment while he’s here.
    . Microchip# 982000408360982

Diet

4health Salmon& Potato kibble.
½ cup AM & ½ cup PM
LOVES our Peanut butter treats.

Gallery

In chronological order, newest at the bottom.

Hair-do like a teeny lion

Chip & Carme, best buds
PIC

Progress Updates

Progress notes are listed below, in chronological order, newest at the bottom.

March 16

Chip and his “brother” Carme were surrendered to Newport Animal Control over a month ago.  Chip had  hair loss from what tuned out to be a flea allergy.  NAC cleared them of fleas and has been bathing Chip is medicated shampoo that is improving.  They had their heart worm test this morning, it was Negative, I was alerted, and I scooted right over to pick them up so we can begin the mandatory 2 week quarantine period before transport.  Otherwise, they are both ready to travel.

March 20

I have been attaching long leads to Carme and Chip when I let them out of their kennel to play in the yard.  This is partly to be sure I can get them back in their kennels.  Playing “can’t catch me” with a young, spry dog is no longer my idea of fun.  I am also concerned that if he wanted to, Chip might be able to squeeze through gaps in our gates.  He’s pretty small.

Chip has been coming to me when I call him – and he show no interest in escaping the yard — so I’ve dispensed with the lead.  He eagerly comes when I call him, always happy to get a good head scratching.

April 5

Little Chip a such a cute fellow. One of my favorite things about him is the bark he does when he’s happy: it’s a “whoop-whoop-whoop” that is straight out of the Three Stooges. Unfortunately hi didn’t do that one for me today, but he was still totally adorable as he talked with me. Give him a listen!

He is also a MAJOR lap dog.  Any time Marie or I are in the yard with him and sit down, regardless of where Chip is, he will shout” LAAAAAAAP!” as he comes racing across the lawn to leap into our lap and curl up for petting.  He’s so little and light-weight that his enthusiastic arrival causes no discomfort, but it is hilarious!

April 28

Chip and Carme’ left us last Friday (the 24th), riding along with Phoenix. They have landed in their foster home in New Hampshire. We knew Chip would be happy anywhere he could find a lap to snuggle into – and he did. Carme’ seems to be settling in nicely too. Happy tails, boys!

May 3

Chip and his “brother” Carme’ have been moved to a foster to adopt home. This is how ARNNE always does things, it gives a family a chance to try it out before committing to adoption. Unless something bad happens, this is usually their forever home.

Nov 3

We received a not from Chips family:
“Hope all is well with you ! I just wanted to let u know how Chip was doing and send along some pics!

He’s doing great and I love having him around. He’s a joy! We’ve gotten him groomed 2 times now since we adopted him.

I think he’s gained a pound or so since then also. My husband cant stop himself from giving him treats !! I’ve been sticking to 1/2 C Kibble and 2 tsps wet food, but he just loves to eat. always looking for more.
We go on plenty of walks. Now that it’s getting cold, I don’t go as far. But last night, I came face to face with a coyote. it was dark, 6-6:30ish, that’s the time I take him out for his last poop. I flashed my flashlight at him and he ran away. I scooped up Chip and ran with him all the way home. I might have to change his schedule, take him out at 4-4:30ish while still light out. hopefully, he’ll poop then.

Also, we’ve noticed that he does not like to get wet at all! When it’s raining out, he does not like to go poop outside. He’ll hold it. Just does a couple of pees and makes a beeline to the house to go inside again. That must be a small dog thing.

We just luv him to bits !! Sending along some pics. He was a cowardly (‘ferocious’) lion for Halloween.

Wishing all the best to you and the shelter.

Best,
Kathleen Cabral
Groveland, MA

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Carme’ Shepcorgo: Notes on a foster dog

A well-behaved boy.

Last Updated: May 3, 2020

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: March 16, 2020
  • Breed: Corgi/Shepherd mix
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: 43.8 Pounds
  • Spayed/Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Calm, a little aloof right now.
  • Departure date: April 24, 2020 going to A.R.N.N.E.

History

One of a bonded pair owned by an elderly woman who succumbed to dementia and could not care for her dogs.  The lady’s daughter surrendered them to Newport Animal Control.

Carme’s Progress Summary:

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

Relational Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
  • Preferred style of play:  wandering and peeing on things
  • Is affectionate: Likes petting, doesn’t seek it
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Yes
    . Cats: No Yes
  • Jumps up on people: No
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: Yes

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

Carme’s Medical

  • DA2PP: 02/12/20 (NAC)
    . Booster: 02/26/20 (NAC)
  • Bordatella: 02/12/20 (NAC)
  • Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
    .     02/12/20  | Pyrantel  |  4.3 cc  | NAC
  • Rabies: 04/14/2020 (Cedarwood) #0000322
  • Spay/Neuter: done before surrender
  • Heartworm Test: 03/16/20, Neg (Cedarwood)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . 02/12/20, Capstar, 57 mg
    . 02/26/20, Frontline Plus
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . 03/16/20, Ivermectin, .45 ml
    . 04/16/20, Ivermectin, .45 ml
  • NOTES:
    . No issues
    . Microchip #911001001439094

Diet

4health Salmon & Potato kibble, 1¼ cups AM, 1 cup PM.  Enjoys our peanut butter cookies as treats.

Gallery

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.

Carme the Magnificent
PIC PIC PIC

Progress Updates

Progress notes are listed below, in chronological order, newest at the bottom.

March 16

Carme and his “brother” Chip were surrendered to Newport Animal Control over a month ago.  They had their heart worm test this morning, it was Negative, I was alerted, and I scooted right over to pick them up so we can begin the mandatory 2 week quarantine period before transport.  Otherwise, they are both ready to travel.

March 20

I have been attaching long leads to Carme and Chip when I let them out of their kennel to play in the yard.  This is partly to be sure I can get them back in their kennels.  Playing “can’t catch me” with a young, spry dog is no longer my idea of fun.

Carme has been coming to me when I call him – usually, and it helps if I have a bribe ready for him: he is fond of my peanut butter cookies — so I’ve dispensed with the lead.  If I let him out often enough Carme prefers to do his business in the yard, not in his “house”.

April 28

Chip and Carme’ left us last Friday (the 24th), riding along with Phoenix. They have landed in their foster home in New Hampshire. We knew Chip would be happy anywhere he could find a lap to snuggle into – and he did. Carme’ seems to be settling in nicely too. Happy tails, boys!

May 3

Carme’ and his “brother” Chip have been moved to a foster-to-adopt home. And they have BOYS! This is a standard process with ARNNE, to give a family the chance to try things out before committing to adoption. In most cases this will be their permanent home.  Carme’ looks pretty happy to me!

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Camden Tangelockz: Notes on a foster dog

The Humane Society of Jefferson County nick-named this guy “Dreadlocks” because of his twisted, knotted fur.

Hopefully he’ll be able to be groomed one day soon and the moniker won’t fit any more.

Last Updated: July 11, 2020

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Feb. 06, 2020
  • Breed: Poodle Mix
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: 26 Pounds (April 23)
  • Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Wants to interact, but cannot be handled.
  • Departure date: July 11, 2020 returning to H.S.J.C. then to Carolina Poodle Rescue 7/14

History

Camden was one of several dogs pulled from a hoarding situation in Green county that ended up at the Humane Society of Jefferson County.  He is not at all aggressive but is terrified of being touched, so he cannot be handled — or groomed.  He needs a low-stress environment to just chill out and learn to trust.

Camden’s Progress Summary:

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

Relational Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
  • Preferred style of play: unknown
  • Is affectionate: In his own way, just no touching.
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: No
    . Cats: Unknown
  • Jumps up on people: No
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: No

House Dog Training

  • Willingly enters his crate: Yes
  • Is calm/quiet while in crate: Yes
  • Understands going outside to potty: Unknown
  • Alerts me of need to go outside: no
  • Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: No
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: Yes (can’t reach)
  • Stays off people furniture: Unknown

Commands:

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

Medical

  • DA2PP: 01/18/2020 (HSJC)
    . Booster:
  • Bordatella: 01/18/2020 (HSJC)
  • Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
    .    01/18/2020 | Strongid | ??? | HSJC
  • Rabies: 01/18/2020 (???)
  • Neuter: April 22, 2020 (HSJC)
  • Heartworm Test: April 22, NEGATIVE (HSJC)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . May 4, Ivermectin Oral 0.25 ml
    . June 1, Ivermectin Oral 0.25 ml
    . July 3, Ivermectin Oral, 0.3 ml
  • NOTES:
    . I’m told he has bad teeth and needs soft kibble or he won’t eat.
    .4/23 – 4/27 Amoxicillin Trihydrate 62.5 mg 2 x daily for infected ingrown claw (removed at neuter)

Diet

Mixture of Pedigree Pouches and Kibbles & Bits: (supplied by HSJC), 1 cup twice a day.

Gallery

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.

Camden says he’s a BEAR, he wants to hibernate in his den.

A new snuggle friend.

Enjoying the sunshine

Progress Updates

Progress notes are listed below, in chronological order, newest at the bottom.

Feb 6

Camden has just arrived, so we don’t know much yet.  However he tolerated riding around in a transport box without fussing and crying.  I checked on him frequently.  During the transport and after being released into his kennel he seemed guardedly interested in Marie and me.  Not shrinking away and cowering in a corner.  That’s a good place to start with him.

Feb 12

Camden has lost his fear of me to the point he tends to be underfoot a lot while I’m in his room doing “housekeeping”.  He will come right up and take bits of cheeseburger (sliders) from my fingers, but won’t let me pet him yet.  Working on it … we’re getting there.

Feb 16

Cammie is making some progress with his fearfulness.  He won’t quite let me touch him, but he will take treats from my fingers and will come over and sniff my hand.

During this cold, I set up an old transport box that’s missing its door inside the garage/lumber-shed/kennel.  It’s on a sheet of Styrofoam to insulate it from the cold concrete slab and held in place against the doorway through the wall with concrete blocks. I draped a blanket over the box leaving the louvers on one side open, put lots of blankets inside it, and set up a propane furnace to blow warm air through the open louvers.  That gave him a warm place to go when it got down to 24° at night.

April 8

Made some progress with Camden today.  He has been willing to come out and be quite close to me any time I’m in his kennel with him, but is leery of my hands.  If I reach out to touch him he scampers away.  Every day at noon I take him a few hot dog bits.  He will take these from me if I pinch them between thumb and fore-finger, but if I lay one on an open palm he stays back.  Until today.

April 24

Camden was neutered at Humane Society of Jefferson County (HSJC) on Wednesday the 22nd.  While he was unconscious, they shaved off the tangled mat he was wearing and checked him for hidden problems.  I’ve seen matted up dogs like this end up with colonies of maggots underneath, living in skin lesions.   Not the case here: aside from and ingrown and infected dew claw and one small skin lesion he’s in good shape.

He is not happy about being naked, though!  That will grow back, and I need to get him accustomed to being touched, so he can be brushed (at least) and (hopefully) groomed occasionally.

May 11

It’s been almost three weeks since Camden’s neutering and he should be all healed up now.  I can’t tell for sure because he will not let me look closely let alone touch.

It’s time to take the cone off, but it does not untie by pulling on the ends of the gauze rope.  I’ll need to cut it off, but he still reacts badly to touching and I don’t want to accidentally stab him in the neck with scissors.  I’ve been in touch with Julie, Manager at HSJC, about getting him a dose of something to relax him.  She says she has some Trazadone in the proper dosage that should do the trick.

I had hoped to be able to use his cone to protect me from being bitten so I could try some “forced petting” but that has not panned out.  His fear of being touched is deeply ingrained, not just an aversion.  Yet he meets me at his kennel door when I bring him food, plays around my feet while I clean his kennel, and will all but climb into my lap (I’m sitting on the floor)  when I feed him his mid-day hot dog treats.  He will take them off my open palm.  But will not allow me to touch him. (sigh)

July 3

I got word over the weekend that Camden has been accepted by a Poodle rescue in North Carolina.  They say this “Social Distancing” behavior is quite common in abused Poodles, they know how to deal with it and can help him.

While in our care, he has become a friendly, happy, little fellow who will come out of his dog house to cavort around my feet as I clean his kennel.  He just backs away from being touched.

He got out of his kennel once and went around checking on the other dogs, who thought this was quite exciting!  I was able to herd him back into his kennel without incident.  Another time he decided to moosh himself between his dog house and the fencing of his kennel with his back pressed up against the fencing.  I came along and decided to try scratching his back.  Usually that would result in a flying leap over the dog house to get away.  This time he turned his head to stare at me with a “What do you think you’re doing?” expression and drew himself up a little but there were no panicked acrobatics.  Maybe he’s made a little progress with this too.

July 8

July 11

Camden was safely delivered back to Humane Society of Jefferson County.  It took only a little coercion to get him into hos transport box, he rode well, and at the other end he came right out, trotted around and hopped up on the cushy raised bed they had prepared for him.  Happy as a clam in silt.  Happy tails to you, Cammie!

 

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Scout Shepherd

Originally named “Gus” by the Friends Animal Shelter, details eventually came out as to who he was and why he is so scared of people.  You’d be scared too if someone shot you in the head!  Scout is here to find serenity and learn trust once again.

Last Updated: Nov 26, 2020

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Jan. 14, 2020
  • Breed: Shepherd Mix
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Youth, Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: @ 55 Pounds
  • Spayed/Neutered: Unknown
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Nervous, timid but not aggressive.
  • Gets Along with: People, Dogs, Cats
  • Crate Trained: No
  • Housebroken: Maybe.
  • Departure date: Undetermined

History

Scout was part of a “pack” of dogs whose owner let them run loose in the neighborhood.  One neighbor took exception to that and shot Scout in the head.  He survived — physically — but is so scared of everything now he won’t let most people anywhere near him.

Scout’s 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: Unknown

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Getting there
  • Is good with:
    .   Men: Yes, once he warms to you.
    .   Women: Yes, once he warms to you
    .   Children: Little Kids are scary things!
  • Jumps up on people: No
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: No

House Dog Training

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

Commands:

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

Medical

  • DA2PP: date (by)
    . Booster:
  • Bordatella: date (by)
  • Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
  • Rabies: date (by)
  • Spay/Neuter: date (by)
  • Heartworm Test: date, result (by)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • NOTES:
    . Stopped eating 06/10, very loose stool.  Giving 11ml Fendbendazole daily 06/11 – 06/15 – that took care of it.
    .

Diet

Victor Classic Professional dry dog food:
. ½ cup kibble & 5 oz home made stew AM
. ½ cup kibble & 4 oz. home made stew PM

Our peanut butter treats as rewards for compliance.  Other treats include Retriever Beef Basted Sticks and Hartz Oinkies: Chicken

Gallery

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.

Your room is ready, sir.

Tarp in place to block that cold North wind.

Scouts hidey hole from the bitter cold.

Dog’s eye view

New ceiling from sheets of cardboard over warm room hold down the heat.

But he’s not having any part of that, so I hung a heat lamp over his bed outside.

Scout is letting me pet him!

FINALLY! I got a collar on him

Progress Updates

Progress notes are listed below, in chronological order, newest at the bottom.

Jan 14

Today Scout bade farewell (for a while) to Autumn at Friends Animal Shelter.  She was the only staff member able to get inside Scout’s defenses (and his kennel).  She accomplished this with her gentle spirit — and bags of Krystal cheeseburgers.

I took her advice and showed up for my first “interview” with Scout with a bag of bribery in tow.  It worked, he let me come into his kennel and sit in one corner while he cowered in the opposite corner.  But he let me in!

Yesterday Marie bought a box of White Castle cheeseburgers at the grocery store — they’re pretty much the same, right?  Maybe not!  Today I held out a quarter of a White Castle to Scout, he sniffed it and turned up his nose, “That is NOT a Krystal cheeseburger!”  He wanted nothing to do with it — until we got him into the transport box and were on our way to PMFC, then he decided to pick out the meat and cheese, but stomped the bun into paste on the floor of his box.

Jan 19

It’s going to be COLD over the next few nights, down in the teens.  Yeah, yeah, the Wisconsinites scoff when I say that, “You call THAT cold?” Well, yeah, in Tennessee we DO call that cold.  And I’m concerned about Scout.  All the others will go inside at night — and in the day if it’s too cold, just come out for potty breaks.  But Scout isn’t having any part of wearing a collar yet, much less going for leash walks.

The plan has always been to have inside and outside areas for our kennels.  But the inside part has not come to pass yet.  But we decided to try to do something with it for Scout.

Dog’s eye view

The building is still full of lumber stacks.  There is an aisle between one stack and the kennel side wall.  We bought a couple of brood lamps to hang over that aisle, put a piece of carpet on the floor set a raised bed in there with blankets on it and a bed warmer under them, then blocked off the end of the aisle with a large live trap stood on end.  Then, I unblocked the door to the interior so he could get in there.  I put his water dish in there, and his food dish.  He went in to eat then came back out.  I went in to retrieve the dish and it was noticeably warmer so it should stay reasonably comfortable even when it gets down to the 20’s outside.

Jan 26

Scout still prefers his outside bed.  But then, it’s only getting down to the mid 30’s at night.  I think enclosed spaces make him nervous.  But someone has been in sleeping on that bed in the warm room.  So, maybe, late at night when things are boring …

When I take Phoenix her lunch bowl, I warm up a White Castle cheeseburger for Scout.  He has gotten to where his eyes light up when I come out at noon.  I tear it into quarters and he takes the pieces from my fingers.  He will let me  pet him on the muzzle, and when I go in his kennel to perform “housekeeping” he often just lies on his bed and watches instead of scooting about trying to find an escape route.  We’re getting there.

Feb 4

Feb 16

This boy has reached a tableau. He is comfortable with me being in his room and will let me pet him, but he’s still too nervous to put a collar on. I think it would do him a world of good to get him out of his kennel occasionally for some yard time. But I’d need to be able to get him back in, and that means a collar and lead at the least.

He too has an inside space, a larger space, heated with a brood lamp where he can escape the bitter cold. He usually does not use it. I can only guess that he prefers to be out where he can see what’s going on. So he has a heat lamp over his outside bed as well. There have been a couple of times that I went out for Phoenix’s early walk and Scout was in his hidey hole.

March 6

Scout hates the camera, so it’s hard to get photos or videos of his progress, but we are making some progress.

He will now let me pet him any time I want.  He still loves his cheeseburger for lunch, and will come right over and stand next to me to get the pieces I tear off for him.  He does a little spin-in-a-circle happy dance when I bring him food.  His tail is not tucked up hard under his belly all the time.

Heavy rain spooks him really badly and this is about the only time he will go hide inside the building.  Otherwise he prefers to lounge on his Kuranda under the heat lamp.  That steel roof IS loud in a heavy rain.  I should probably have the underside of it sprayed with urethane foam to deaden that and insulate it against heat transfer in the summer.

March 20

We have made slow, steady progress with Scout.  He still stresses and is anxious about human interaction, but he will let me pet him any time I want.  He is especially sensitive about touching the left side of his head behind the ear, that may be where the bullet wound is.

When I bring him his cheeseburger for lunch, he does a little happy dance by twirling in a circle.  I wish I could get video of it, but if I bring the camera, even if I set it up outside the kennel, he spooks out and won’t do anything.  He will walk right over and stand in front of me to get the cheeseburger pieces I hand him.

His tail is now longer permanently tucked tight up under his belly, Most of the time it hangs down and is motionless.

I did get a collar on him.  That caused him to lie on his bed and tremble the rest of the day.

Its been a couple of days now and he’s getting used to the collar, as long as I don’t touch it.  It’s possible it presses on that bullet wound and hurts – but that’s a guess.  A harness might be better for him, but getting him into a harness is a pipe dream right now.  My goal is to get him out in the yard on a lead.  He’d do better if he had some freedom.

April 15

Every animal lover knows that a dogs tail tells volumes about what the dog is thinking or feeling. (If you don’t know, check this out: https://pineymountainfoster.org/dogs-tail-tells-a-tale/ ) So you will understand the happiness I feel over the changes in Scout.

Scout is (or was) terrified. So much so that he was perishing at the shelter. So he came to Piney Mountain to find some serenity. It’s been a long road, a road paved with White Castle Cheese Sliders as inducements for him to let me get close (Thank you Autum: that was a great tip). He has spent much of his time with his tail tucked up tight under his belly. Terrified. You would too if someone yelled at you for being in his yard and then shot you in the head. He survived, but he carries more than physical scars.

He has come to anticipate my mid-day visit, when I bring him a warm cheese slider, tear it up into pieces and hand feed it to him. He got into a habit of doing a little spinning dance of joy when I approached his kennel with his favorite snack. In the past few days he has started doing this when I bring him his morning and evening kibbles too. And yesterday he turned loose and allowed his tail to come up above his spine as he spun around. I loved seeing that!

He allows me to pet him on the head and shoulders. He often draws down to the floor: he’s still nervous about it, but not fearful. And if I’m late with his lunch, he’s not afraid to call me out, reminding me that he’s waiting. It’s slow, but he’s making progress.

It may be that Scout will need someone special to give him a forever home. Someone who is patient and kind, and gentle. He may never be a “normal” dog again. But Scout is a sweet fellow. An exceptionally handsome fellow. A good boy. He wants to be loved, and to love, but that fear of being hurt again gets in the way. It won’t be long now that the crust is cracking, and he’s opening up. Now that that tail is rising to the occasion.

June 27

Scout show definite signs of wanting to come out and play with the Huskies, especially Cyrus.  But when I go in with a leash, the leash spooks him – foreign objects are scary.  I can go in with my pooper scooper, hose, floor brush, squeegee, and disinfectant foamer and he’s fine with all that because he recognizes these things now.  I’ll start taking a leash in with me at treat times and work on getting him out in the yard.

One thing I must say is that he tries SO hard to keep his room clean.  He lifts his leg and pees THROUGH the fencing to get his urine outside, and he has one small spot where he leaves his poop, and no where else.  If I can get him out for leash walks, he will “housebreak” easily.

Nov 26

Very little has changed.  We seem to have reached a plateau with this boy that he is not wiling to move past.  It’s time to seek some other solution for this sweet boy.  Obviously I don’t have what it takes to fix Scout.

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Burton Flirtsworthy: Notes on a foster dog

Burton is quite the lover.  He loves everyone, and just wants attention.  He even plays with cats.

 

Last Updated: Dec 28

Base Info:

 

  • Arrival date: Dec. 7, 2019
  • Breed: Black & Tan Hound
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: @ 49 Pounds (should be 60-70)
    .              54.8 pounds 12/18
  • Spayed/Neutered: Not yet
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Friendly, affectionate, gentle.
  • Gets Along with: People, Dogs, Cats
  • Crate Trained: Yes
  • Housebroken: Working on it
  • Departure date:  Jan 11, 2020, returned to FAS

History

Picked up as a stray on November 30th, this poor boy was skin and bones.  He needed some serious groceries!

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: is grabby from being starved.
  • Preferred style of play: He’s not really into play.  He prefers to explore the yard.  Another dog may join him on walking around, but if the other gets rowdy, Burton retires to his room.

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Unknown – but probably.
  • Jumps up on people: No
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: No.  Pulls.  Working on that

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.
  • Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: No
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: No he will seek food anywhere it may be found.
  • Stays off people furniture: No Yes

Commands:

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

Burton’s Medical

  • DA2PP: 11/30/2019 (FAS)
    . Booster: 12/18/2019 (FAS)
  • Bordatella: 11/30/2019 (FAS)
  • Wormed: 11/30 to 12/02/2019 | Product? | 9.8 ml | (FAS)
  • Rabies: NEEDED
  • Spay/Neuter: NEEDED
  • Heartworm Test: NEEDED, result (by)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • NOTES:
    . Burton was underweight by 15 pounds.
    . Burton’s teeth are bad, but that does not seem to affect his eating.

Diet

4Health Salmon & Potato recipe, 1¼ cups with 2 Tbs Coconut oil 3x daily.  Down from 1 cup 5x daily now that he’s looking good.

Gallery

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.

Progress Updates

 

Dec 8

He loaded up easily and rode well in a transport box from FAS to PMFC.  Initial meetings with the PMFC gang went smoothy, Bandit really wanted to play with him.  I think the two of them will get along well.  But I was wrong.  Bandit is too “enthusiastic”, Burton is not strong enough to match him, so Burton retreats.  He likes Buddy Beagle, though!

That night, he crated easily and settled in right away.

Sunday afternoon I let him play with Josephine (who declined) and Buddy (who followed Burton around calmly).  He’s doing exceptionally well at getting along with others.

Dec 18

I took Burton to FAS for his parvo booster today.  It’s COLD out so I let him ride in the extended cab of my truck instead of using a transport box in the back.  I have a shell over the bed so there would be no wind, but there’s no heat back there so it would still be 29° in there.  He did well.  He also behaved at the shelter, even played with a couple of hallway cats.

Dec 28

Burton is looking much better.  Being a big, lanky hound Burton should be … lanky.  But not scrawny like he was.  His ribs, spine, and hips no longer show through in sharp relief and he is building muscle in his legs.  His cough has cleared up too.

But he is still the sweet, gentle, affectionate fellow Burton has always been.  He will make a great family companion.

He still attacks his food like he hasn’t eaten in days, and he has become quite strong – and can pull like a tractor on a leash.  Using a front clip helps deter that.  He has not torn up the bedding in his crate and he LOVES going inside at night to sleep.

He likes to explore and will be a wanderer if allowed to run loose.  Burton is ready to seek a forever home.

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Dawson Wigglestump: Notes on a foster dog

This is a foster dog diary post about Dawson. 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. 7

Dawson is a friendly, gentle, amusing fellow.  I can’t imagine why someone starved him then dumped him.

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Dec. 2, 2019
  • Breed: Boxer/hound mix
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: 53.8 Pounds
  • Neutered: Not yet
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Sweet, playful, loving
  • Gets Along with: People, Dogs, Cats
  • Crate Trained: Yes
  • Housebroken: Yes No
  • Departure date: December 7th, 2019

History

Dawson was dumped by someone at the end of a dead-end road in Del Rio. He was 30 pounds under-weight and in pretty rough shape, but still a sweet boy. A local called Animal Control to come rescue him.  He weighed 46.1 pounds at that time – should be at least 70 pounds!  Friends Animal Shelter put eight pounds on him before he came here.  I’ll finish the job so they can adopt him into a GOOD home.

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
  • Preferred style of play: He likes to play with a large ball.  Hasn’t initiated play with Blondie yet.

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Unknown
  • Jumps up on people: He bounces into me in play.
  • 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: No 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: Getting better
  • Sits on command: Yes
  • Down / Off: No
  • Shake / Paw: No
  • Kennels on command: With bribery

Dawson’s Medical

  • DA2PP: 11/19/2019 (FAS)
    . Booster:
  • Bordatella: 11/19/2019 (FAS)
  • Wormed: 11/19/2019, Panacur, 9 ml (FAS)
  • Rabies: NEEDED
  • Spay/Neuter: NEEDED
  • Heartworm Test: NEEDED, result (by)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • NOTES:
    . At intake he has a bad case of runny stool due to his digestive system shutting down from starvation.  I’ll add sweet potato to his kibble to help regulate the bowels.
    .

Diet

1 cup 4Health Salmon & Potato recipe with Coconut oil and fresh sweet potato added,  5 times daily

Gallery

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.

Progress Updates

When picked up by Animal Control, Dawson weighed only 46.1 pounds when he should be at least 70 pounds.  He was described to me as being “skin on bones”.  He is approximately 1 year old, maybe a bit less.  Probably someone’s Christmas puppy last year, now dumped to make room for this years “gift”.  His digestive system isn’t working right from having been empty for too long.  We’re addressing that with pureed pumpkin and small, frequent meals.

When I picked him up he met the shelter cat on his way to the scales.  He gave the cat a friendly, “Hello there!” and kept walking.

Dec. 02

His first day has been spent settling in.  Our gang has been out to meet him and no one had any disparaging words.  Except Spartacus the 23 pound beagle.  He stood up on fencing and baroo’d several times, telling Dawson that he is boss here.  Dawson cocked his head and looked at him with a “you’ve GOT to be kidding me” look.

Dawson found a yard ball and had a great time playing with it while I set up a crate in the bunkhouse for him to sleep in at night.  Bandit will be glad to have a roomie again.

This big boy is going to go through a LOT of kibble as we get some weight back on him, and coconut oil, and canned pumpkin.  If anyone would like to help us with that expense, we’d be ever-so grateful.

Dec. 5

Over the past couple of days, adding mushed up sweet potato (from my garden) to Dawson’s kibble has done wonders for his diarrhea.  He’s passing almost normal stools now.  And I think his bones are not showing through quite as sharply as they were.  He’s getting kibble measured for a dog of 125 pounds PLUS coconut oil.  He’s fed at 5:30 am, 9:00 am, noon, 3:00 pm, and 5:30 pm.

He goes inside at night to sleep and he is good about going into his crate and settling for the night.  In the morning he’s eager to get out but does not drag me back to the play yard.  He eats his breakfast, makes a quick potty run, then returns to his room (kennel) to settle in on the blankets on his Kuranda with his chew toys and his ball.  He LOVES that ball!

Dec. 7

Im going WHERE!?
I’m going WHERE!?

Last night we got back late (just before midnight) from a transport and I was messaging with Elisha at Friends Animal Shelter.  She said that a rescue in Boston had seen this page and really wants Dawson.  I mean REALLY want’s him, and they want him ASAP.  So I took Dawson back to FAS this morning where he will hook up with Brother Wolf (from Asheville NC), who will facilitate his transport to Boston.  Wow!

It has been a genuine pleasure working with this handsome fellow.  I loved the way when I’d bring his food to him (in a zip-lock baggie because I made up the days supply every morning) he’d put a paw on his dish and scoot it back and forth, indicating, “Here it it, this is my dish.  Put the food in here so I can eat.  I’m SO hungry!”  But he never went after the baggie or tried to take the food away from me.  Handsome and polite!  Happy tails, big fella!

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Bandit Steele: Notes on a foster dog

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

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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