Try, try again. And again. And again.
We were still tampering with the idea that Roxie just wasn't fit for adoption when yet another seemingly perfect application came along. (For every "perfect" application she gets, she gets three terrible ones). This app was very unique and could be the absolute best situation for a dog like Roxie. This family lives on 52!! fenced acres. They have an in ground pool and a male boxer that is desperately missing his canine sibling who passed away of cancer not long ago. There are actually two homes on this property, the adopters live in the "small" house and their grand parents, a sister, and two nieces live in the "main" house. They own a family business and people pretty much come and go all the time. That kind of hustle and bustle is right up Roxie's alley. She loves a busy lifestyle and the more people around, the better.
Of course, I went through the whole spiel about Roxie and her many quirks. The good, the bad, the ugly. I got the feeling that they were not the kind of people who would shy away from a challenge, nor the kind to worry about a broken window blind or a chewed up shoe. They had been there, done that. Also, living in the country with the freedom to run and play all the time may take some of the anxious energy out of Roxie's life. It sounded like, if it all worked out, it would be a better home for Roxie than we could offer her if she stayed with us. For that reason above all else, we decided to pursue with the process.
They live south of Dallas. Right away, I knew the perfect person to do the home visit for me. Someone I totally trust and who knows first hand what I expect out of my adoptive homes. Jen, of course (adopter of Bella, for those who don't know Jen). She did a great job and had all of the right concerns. I'm sure we will be using Jen's services again for other apps that we get in the DFW area.
The meet and greet was set up for a Saturday afternoon in Texarkana. Once again, our group had an adoption event that day. As hopeful as I was that this would be "it" for Roxie, I was not going to take any chances of this awesome couple and their dog driving all the way out there and not going home with the perfect new family member. I knew it was ultimately up to the two dogs getting along and if they didn't, I didn't want to lose this wonderful approved home. So, I set up back up dogs (all female) with different personalities. It would be like the doggy dating game for their boy.
This trip out to Texas with Roxie felt different. As Jonathon, Rox and I drove out that morning, I didn't once cry. We didn't even really talk about losing her. I guess it was like we were getting immune to the fear of saying goodbye to her. It was getting harder to believe in success so why be sad over and over again? We hung out with the crew and met our new foster (Yup. We jumped the gun a little this time) at the event and then headed to the park. "Good luck!" everyone yelled as we left to meet our girl's potential new family. Deja vu.
It was pretty obvious from the start that this was no match made in heaven! Their dog, who was the second biggest boxer I have ever seen, was not as "laid back" as they had described. We walked them together for a while doing everything by the book. When we stopped to let them officially meet, Roxie instantly wanted to rough house with him and he didn't appreciate her unladylike behavior. He went after her once and it was over. Roxie has no desire to start fights anymore, but she sure as hell won't back down from one. She is fearless to a degree of stupidity. Confident that she could take on a dog that weighed minimally double her, she was in full blown "Bring it!" mode. Eventually, that bravery would have gotten her in a world of hurt. On to bachelorette number two.
We brought them back to the event to meet the others. Thankfully, they found the perfect match for their big boy in Daisy. She is much more his speed and from the texts and pictures I received in the following days, she fits perfectly into their family and is loving her new life!
And at the end of the day we head home with not one dog, but two. Go figure. Roxie had no problems at all being introduced to the new foster.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Third Time is the Charm!
When I wrote the last post about Roxie, I was already working on an adoption for her. Of course, I never like to jump the gun and announce something before it actually happens. After having Roxie all summer long, we had actually toyed with the idea of keeping her. It just didn't seem like we were going to have any success at finding her a perfect forever home and frankly it was getting hard to keep going back and forth emotionally. Then I get the email. The application and the accompanying note sounded almost too good to be true (and usually, they are). I wasted no time getting started on reference and veterinary checks. As I spoke to their friends and family members, I began to fall in love with this family.
They live in College Station, TX. They have a beautiful home with a giant fenced in yard and...wait for it....a great big inground pool! My favorite part was that there are two children in the family. A girl and a boy, 8 and 11 years old, who had been begging for a dog for over a year, since the last family dog passed away. It was obvious that a lot of time and thought was being put into finding the right dog for the family. They are very active outdoor lovers and they wanted a dog to take everywhere with them- a true family member. They wanted a dog that would cuddle with the girl, play fetch with the boy, and go jogging every morning with the mom. All this and a pool to boot!
I began my communication with them the way I begin with every potential adopter- a long, detailed email. I NEVER sugar coat my foster dogs. Any issue, major or minor, each and every bad habit, every little annoying thing they do, I put it all out there, full disclosure (with Roxie, this included the fact that she had already been adopted and returned once). If that doesn't deter them, I of course follow up with all the things that make the dog so wonderful! Over several days we talked frequently and I sent tons of pictures and videos of Roxie. They were "honored" when I told them that I was approving the adoption. A volunteer from another boxer rescue in their area did the home visit for us and gave a glowing report. She texted me a picture of a beautiful, custom made, leather collar with ROXIE imprinted on it that sat waiting on the kitchen counter. Just the sight of that brought me to tears.
We picked a day about 10 days out to meet in Texarkana. Conveniently, our rescue was having an adoption event at the PetSmart out there. With me being in Central AR, I rarely get together with the rest of the group so it was the perfect excuse to visit. Over the week, as the big day approached, Jonathon and I were able to digest the idea of Roxie leaving us and accept that it was for the best.
When Saturday came, Roxie and I were up and on the road to Texas early (Unfortunately, Jonathon wasn't able to make the trip with us because had his friends flying in that afternoon.). My first of several crying sessions began almost immediately when the song "I'm Moving On" came on the radio, as if on cue. After a long drive and a couple of hours at PetSmart with the crew, Roxie and I headed over to a nearby park to meet her new family. We arrived first and when the family pulled up it was love at first sight. The entire back end of their Suburban was filled with toys and treats and blankets for Roxie. We spent a good hour at the park. There were hugs all around and the little girl had tears in her eyes when she told me that she would take very good care of Roxie for me and send lots of pictures. When it was time for me to hand over my girl she jumped happily into their car and settled between the children in her giant pile of stuff. I stifled my emotion as best I could. As for Roxie, she never looked back. I knew she would miss us, and the home she had come to love, but in that moment, she was the center of attention and she was loving it.
Over the weekend I was kept very much in the loop. She texted me pictures and had lots of questions and stories for me. It was awesome.
Then, everything changed when on Monday evening I received a text that just said "Call me as soon as you can please." Those are words that a rescuer never wants to read. It's never good. Nobody ever texts that and then says something like "Oh, she did the cutest thing!" My stomach was instantly in a knot. I called her right away to find out from a sobbing voice that they wanted to bring Roxie back. To say I was shocked is an understatement.
Although I had them well prepared for Roxie being a trouble maker while home alone, they were not expecting, nor was I, that she would get separation anxiety. She scratched at the doors and tore down the blinds trying to get out. She dug a hole under the fence and got loose when they tried leaving her outside for a couple hours instead. We have always known that she has major crate anxiety, but she has been fine for months when we leave her out when we are gone. I had even left her home instead of taking her to work with me the entire week before so she would get used to the idea of staying home alone. She got into things, like puppies do, but she was totally fine. We had no idea how dependent she was on the other dogs being there with her.
They held out some hope that I could tell them how to fix the problem and give them the answer on how to help Roxie. Because other than that "She is perfect! She is the sweetest dog we have ever met. We love her so much already." Sadly, the only answer I could give them was that it takes time and patience. How long? I couldn't say. Separation anxiety is one of the hardest issues to deal with. It can take an incredibly long time to get under control, and in many cases it's never actually cured. The goal becomes only to manage it as best as possible. I told them I didn't think Roxie was an extreme case like that, but I couldn't promise anything. I explained to them that it wasn't something you could "train" a dog out of. She wasn't misbehaving, she was having the equivalent of a human panic attack. As someone who suffered from occasional panic attacks in my late teens and early twenties, I empathize. During the most severe panic attack I ever had, I actually lost consciousness. I woke up laying on a restaurant floor, breathing into a bag, surrounded by paramedics. I am a logical person. There was absolutely no reason for me to get to that point, but it was a physical reaction that I simply couldn't control. Dogs have even less control and understanding of anxiety and irrational fears. You can't punish or yell at an anxious dog. That will only intensify the reaction. They understood and agreed with everything I told them.
She felt terrible admitting that they didn't have the time or the experience to work with Roxie on this issue. They couldn't live with the stress of not knowing what the house will look like when they get home everyday, not to mention that they knew Roxie was suffering all day. She told me that this was the hardest phone call she had ever had to make. She felt that they failed Roxie. Failed me. I assured her that it wasn't them that failed Roxie, but the people who had her before she came into rescue. They had broken her. The rest of us are trying our best to put her back together. And as far as failing me, certainly they had not. Failing me would have been NOT having the courage to call me about the problem. We talked for a long time. I assured her that they will make great dog owners and offered to help them find the right boxer, whether from our rescue or a different one, when they were ready. I could tell she found some comfort in my words.
The next morning, I was on my way back to Texas to bring home our girl. The rescue director was able to meet them half way between their home and Texarkana to get Roxie and then I met her in Texarkana. The kids took the day off school to make the trip with their dad. They were crying of course, but we told them that Roxie just got to go on a fun trip and meet some new friends.
Foxy Roxie has been back home for a week now. Things are back to normal, which in our house is anything but. We will not fail Roxie. She will get the forever home that she deserves, and if it turns out that she is already there, well that's fine too. You don't always choose your dogs when you are a rescuer. You just end up with the ones nobody else wants.
They live in College Station, TX. They have a beautiful home with a giant fenced in yard and...wait for it....a great big inground pool! My favorite part was that there are two children in the family. A girl and a boy, 8 and 11 years old, who had been begging for a dog for over a year, since the last family dog passed away. It was obvious that a lot of time and thought was being put into finding the right dog for the family. They are very active outdoor lovers and they wanted a dog to take everywhere with them- a true family member. They wanted a dog that would cuddle with the girl, play fetch with the boy, and go jogging every morning with the mom. All this and a pool to boot!
I began my communication with them the way I begin with every potential adopter- a long, detailed email. I NEVER sugar coat my foster dogs. Any issue, major or minor, each and every bad habit, every little annoying thing they do, I put it all out there, full disclosure (with Roxie, this included the fact that she had already been adopted and returned once). If that doesn't deter them, I of course follow up with all the things that make the dog so wonderful! Over several days we talked frequently and I sent tons of pictures and videos of Roxie. They were "honored" when I told them that I was approving the adoption. A volunteer from another boxer rescue in their area did the home visit for us and gave a glowing report. She texted me a picture of a beautiful, custom made, leather collar with ROXIE imprinted on it that sat waiting on the kitchen counter. Just the sight of that brought me to tears.
We picked a day about 10 days out to meet in Texarkana. Conveniently, our rescue was having an adoption event at the PetSmart out there. With me being in Central AR, I rarely get together with the rest of the group so it was the perfect excuse to visit. Over the week, as the big day approached, Jonathon and I were able to digest the idea of Roxie leaving us and accept that it was for the best.
When Saturday came, Roxie and I were up and on the road to Texas early (Unfortunately, Jonathon wasn't able to make the trip with us because had his friends flying in that afternoon.). My first of several crying sessions began almost immediately when the song "I'm Moving On" came on the radio, as if on cue. After a long drive and a couple of hours at PetSmart with the crew, Roxie and I headed over to a nearby park to meet her new family. We arrived first and when the family pulled up it was love at first sight. The entire back end of their Suburban was filled with toys and treats and blankets for Roxie. We spent a good hour at the park. There were hugs all around and the little girl had tears in her eyes when she told me that she would take very good care of Roxie for me and send lots of pictures. When it was time for me to hand over my girl she jumped happily into their car and settled between the children in her giant pile of stuff. I stifled my emotion as best I could. As for Roxie, she never looked back. I knew she would miss us, and the home she had come to love, but in that moment, she was the center of attention and she was loving it.
Over the weekend I was kept very much in the loop. She texted me pictures and had lots of questions and stories for me. It was awesome.
Then, everything changed when on Monday evening I received a text that just said "Call me as soon as you can please." Those are words that a rescuer never wants to read. It's never good. Nobody ever texts that and then says something like "Oh, she did the cutest thing!" My stomach was instantly in a knot. I called her right away to find out from a sobbing voice that they wanted to bring Roxie back. To say I was shocked is an understatement.
Although I had them well prepared for Roxie being a trouble maker while home alone, they were not expecting, nor was I, that she would get separation anxiety. She scratched at the doors and tore down the blinds trying to get out. She dug a hole under the fence and got loose when they tried leaving her outside for a couple hours instead. We have always known that she has major crate anxiety, but she has been fine for months when we leave her out when we are gone. I had even left her home instead of taking her to work with me the entire week before so she would get used to the idea of staying home alone. She got into things, like puppies do, but she was totally fine. We had no idea how dependent she was on the other dogs being there with her.
They held out some hope that I could tell them how to fix the problem and give them the answer on how to help Roxie. Because other than that "She is perfect! She is the sweetest dog we have ever met. We love her so much already." Sadly, the only answer I could give them was that it takes time and patience. How long? I couldn't say. Separation anxiety is one of the hardest issues to deal with. It can take an incredibly long time to get under control, and in many cases it's never actually cured. The goal becomes only to manage it as best as possible. I told them I didn't think Roxie was an extreme case like that, but I couldn't promise anything. I explained to them that it wasn't something you could "train" a dog out of. She wasn't misbehaving, she was having the equivalent of a human panic attack. As someone who suffered from occasional panic attacks in my late teens and early twenties, I empathize. During the most severe panic attack I ever had, I actually lost consciousness. I woke up laying on a restaurant floor, breathing into a bag, surrounded by paramedics. I am a logical person. There was absolutely no reason for me to get to that point, but it was a physical reaction that I simply couldn't control. Dogs have even less control and understanding of anxiety and irrational fears. You can't punish or yell at an anxious dog. That will only intensify the reaction. They understood and agreed with everything I told them.
She felt terrible admitting that they didn't have the time or the experience to work with Roxie on this issue. They couldn't live with the stress of not knowing what the house will look like when they get home everyday, not to mention that they knew Roxie was suffering all day. She told me that this was the hardest phone call she had ever had to make. She felt that they failed Roxie. Failed me. I assured her that it wasn't them that failed Roxie, but the people who had her before she came into rescue. They had broken her. The rest of us are trying our best to put her back together. And as far as failing me, certainly they had not. Failing me would have been NOT having the courage to call me about the problem. We talked for a long time. I assured her that they will make great dog owners and offered to help them find the right boxer, whether from our rescue or a different one, when they were ready. I could tell she found some comfort in my words.
The next morning, I was on my way back to Texas to bring home our girl. The rescue director was able to meet them half way between their home and Texarkana to get Roxie and then I met her in Texarkana. The kids took the day off school to make the trip with their dad. They were crying of course, but we told them that Roxie just got to go on a fun trip and meet some new friends.
Foxy Roxie has been back home for a week now. Things are back to normal, which in our house is anything but. We will not fail Roxie. She will get the forever home that she deserves, and if it turns out that she is already there, well that's fine too. You don't always choose your dogs when you are a rescuer. You just end up with the ones nobody else wants.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Foxy Roxie the Boxy
I love each and every dog that I take into my care. It comes with the territory. Love alone can not heal them, but I don't believe that they can heal without it. I don't play favorites. As soon as a dog arrives, they are treated as family and along with the love, are given the same rules and boundaries that the other dogs have. This is the way we create and keep balance among the group.
That being said, sometimes a dog comes along that stands out. You treat her the same, but you can't help but feel a stronger connection. In this case, that dog is Roxie. Roxie joins Calista, Lincoln, Winston, and Bella in the elite group of "long-timers." These are the dogs that have been with us several months and become so integrated into our lives, that we forget that they are guests.
Roxie might just be the most fun dog that we have ever fostered (though you wouldn't know it because of my lack of posts!). She is a riot. She is smart and athletic and incredibly sassy. Although she is one of the "challenging" dogs because she is extremely high energy and has some anxiety issues, we have an outlet for her that we haven't had with the others. The pool. She swims every single day. She can't wait for Jonathon to get home from work to play fetch with her and she will jump in over and over. I bet she jumps in over 100 times any given weekend. If nobody wants to play with her, she drops her toys in the pool herself. She will clear out leaves and bugs too. And if there is nothing to retrieve, well then she'll just hop from floatie to floatie. Swimming drains energy like nothing else! The pool has been a godsend for working with Roxie.
She has come so far over the summer. I'm very thankful that she ended up in our home because she had some major issues with the other dogs when arrived. Behavior that would have tagged her as "dog aggressive" in the wrong hands. Dog aggressive dogs often end up in boarding (most foster homes have multiple dogs) and their problems only progress there. She wasn't dog aggressive. She just wasn't socialized and became overstimulated very easily. She wanted to interact and play, but play quickly escalated to aggression because she had no self control. She was young and we knew that with help, she would come around. And come around she has. She loves playing with the others and will do so until she has worn both of them out. She is able to play the extremely rough and loud boxer style play and she never gets out of control. It would have been quite a shame for her to be mislabeled early on and not been given the chance to have dog friends.
In fact, one of her favorite weeks of the summer was when we she met her new friend, Winston. He stayed with us while his family was out of state. It was so great to have him back again! This was his second time visiting with us since his adoption and he still feels right at home here, which I love. He and Roxie really hit it off. They are pretty much exactly the same. Winston is Roxie, minus the attitude:-) They were absolutely non-stop for days. She pouted pretty badly the evening he went home.
She has had several adoption applications over the summer. Most were an obvious mismatch from the start. People are drawn to Roxie because she is a good looking dog but when you begin the evaluation process with them you discover that what they actually want is the exact opposite of Roxie. She had one local family that got as far as the weekend visit. They were a fantastic home (with a pool!) and any dog would be lucky to live there. Unfortunately, their older female boxer hated Roxie. She was a mild mannered, submissive girl, who had just lost her sibling and was still mourning. Her energy level was about a 4. Roxie is a 10+. So she came back to us. The family had already fallen in love with her and when I picked her up they gave me a donation in the amount of her adoption fee! More recently, we found another great potential home in Little Rock with three young boys. But, they had a kitten that Roxie was just a little bit too interested in so she didn't work there either. We found that family another dog and they are going to start volunteering for us. Score! But still no home for Roxie. With each hard-to-adopt dog, I go through a period where I think "We will never find the right home for this dog. Sigh." And then, eventually, the perfect family does come along. And my heart is inevitably broken.
That being said, sometimes a dog comes along that stands out. You treat her the same, but you can't help but feel a stronger connection. In this case, that dog is Roxie. Roxie joins Calista, Lincoln, Winston, and Bella in the elite group of "long-timers." These are the dogs that have been with us several months and become so integrated into our lives, that we forget that they are guests.
Roxie might just be the most fun dog that we have ever fostered (though you wouldn't know it because of my lack of posts!). She is a riot. She is smart and athletic and incredibly sassy. Although she is one of the "challenging" dogs because she is extremely high energy and has some anxiety issues, we have an outlet for her that we haven't had with the others. The pool. She swims every single day. She can't wait for Jonathon to get home from work to play fetch with her and she will jump in over and over. I bet she jumps in over 100 times any given weekend. If nobody wants to play with her, she drops her toys in the pool herself. She will clear out leaves and bugs too. And if there is nothing to retrieve, well then she'll just hop from floatie to floatie. Swimming drains energy like nothing else! The pool has been a godsend for working with Roxie.
She has come so far over the summer. I'm very thankful that she ended up in our home because she had some major issues with the other dogs when arrived. Behavior that would have tagged her as "dog aggressive" in the wrong hands. Dog aggressive dogs often end up in boarding (most foster homes have multiple dogs) and their problems only progress there. She wasn't dog aggressive. She just wasn't socialized and became overstimulated very easily. She wanted to interact and play, but play quickly escalated to aggression because she had no self control. She was young and we knew that with help, she would come around. And come around she has. She loves playing with the others and will do so until she has worn both of them out. She is able to play the extremely rough and loud boxer style play and she never gets out of control. It would have been quite a shame for her to be mislabeled early on and not been given the chance to have dog friends.
In fact, one of her favorite weeks of the summer was when we she met her new friend, Winston. He stayed with us while his family was out of state. It was so great to have him back again! This was his second time visiting with us since his adoption and he still feels right at home here, which I love. He and Roxie really hit it off. They are pretty much exactly the same. Winston is Roxie, minus the attitude:-) They were absolutely non-stop for days. She pouted pretty badly the evening he went home.
She has had several adoption applications over the summer. Most were an obvious mismatch from the start. People are drawn to Roxie because she is a good looking dog but when you begin the evaluation process with them you discover that what they actually want is the exact opposite of Roxie. She had one local family that got as far as the weekend visit. They were a fantastic home (with a pool!) and any dog would be lucky to live there. Unfortunately, their older female boxer hated Roxie. She was a mild mannered, submissive girl, who had just lost her sibling and was still mourning. Her energy level was about a 4. Roxie is a 10+. So she came back to us. The family had already fallen in love with her and when I picked her up they gave me a donation in the amount of her adoption fee! More recently, we found another great potential home in Little Rock with three young boys. But, they had a kitten that Roxie was just a little bit too interested in so she didn't work there either. We found that family another dog and they are going to start volunteering for us. Score! But still no home for Roxie. With each hard-to-adopt dog, I go through a period where I think "We will never find the right home for this dog. Sigh." And then, eventually, the perfect family does come along. And my heart is inevitably broken.
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| When nobody has any energy left to play with her, Roxie runs by herself! |
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| Football game with Winston! This tug of war went on for an hour. |
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| Racing my niece Halle. Roxie LOVES kids. |
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Boo Goes Home
Remember Boo, the adorable deaf boy who stayed with us this spring when his foster mom was traveling? Well he came back to visit us again. It' didn't turn out as well this time, as we made the rookie mistake of bringing in an unbalanced male dog into a house with an unbalanced female in heat. But that's another story. This story is about Boo's happy ending.
Boo came to our rescue back in March when his devastated family had to let him go, per Doctor's instructions. His mom was critically ill with bone cancer. She was to have no contact with anything that could potentially bring bacteria into the house, including her beloved Boo. The family had rescued Boo from the only life he had ever known, shelter life, and it killed them to give him up.
I was literally speechless last week when I got a text from the director "Boo's family wants him back." My heart started pounding instantly. How could this be true? It turns out that his mom had been misdiagnosed. Although she isn't well, she doesn't need to fear infection. There was a lot of random back and forth partial communication because our director was out of town, as was Boo's foster mom, as was Boo's former "Dad". I think all of us were holding our breath, anxiously awaiting the outcome. Then we heard that wasn't going to happen after all. When a dog is in our rescue as long as Boo has been, everyone becomes attached. He goes to almost all of the adoption events, so everyone knows him. And those of us who have gotten to know him well, with all his silliness and quirks, love him dearly.
So why, after all these months, did Boo not get a single application? We networked him like crazy! He has his issues, of course, but so many do, especially the deaf ones. He is good looking, smart, outgoing, and super sweet. But nobody showed any interest. He saw numerous foster siblings come in and then get adopted, leaving him behind. Although Boo was very loved at his foster home, we all prayed that he would find a forever family. But it didn't happen.
Now we know why. Because Boo had a forever family all along. He came to us when tragedy found them. The rescue kept him safe and healthy and his foster mom loved him with all of her heart. We thought that our job was to find him a new home, but we were wrong. This time, our job was to let him wait with us until he could return to his true home, to his family. It was meant to be.
A tearful reunion happened on Friday night as Boo and his family got back together after four long months apart. I wish I could have been there. I am told that everyone was crying like crazy. The pictures and video were enough to bring on the waterworks for me. Boo was overcome with joy when they were reunited. Mom (not my place to share names) was so emotional that she had to step away for a few minutes and gain her composure. The family is hopeful that having Boo back in their life will improve her health. Dogs have a way of doing that.
It's not often that these kinds of story book endings come along, but when they do, it feels pretty amazing. It seems God had a plan for sweet Boo Boo. I'm glad I got to play a small part in it.
Boo came to our rescue back in March when his devastated family had to let him go, per Doctor's instructions. His mom was critically ill with bone cancer. She was to have no contact with anything that could potentially bring bacteria into the house, including her beloved Boo. The family had rescued Boo from the only life he had ever known, shelter life, and it killed them to give him up.
I was literally speechless last week when I got a text from the director "Boo's family wants him back." My heart started pounding instantly. How could this be true? It turns out that his mom had been misdiagnosed. Although she isn't well, she doesn't need to fear infection. There was a lot of random back and forth partial communication because our director was out of town, as was Boo's foster mom, as was Boo's former "Dad". I think all of us were holding our breath, anxiously awaiting the outcome. Then we heard that wasn't going to happen after all. When a dog is in our rescue as long as Boo has been, everyone becomes attached. He goes to almost all of the adoption events, so everyone knows him. And those of us who have gotten to know him well, with all his silliness and quirks, love him dearly.
So why, after all these months, did Boo not get a single application? We networked him like crazy! He has his issues, of course, but so many do, especially the deaf ones. He is good looking, smart, outgoing, and super sweet. But nobody showed any interest. He saw numerous foster siblings come in and then get adopted, leaving him behind. Although Boo was very loved at his foster home, we all prayed that he would find a forever family. But it didn't happen.
Now we know why. Because Boo had a forever family all along. He came to us when tragedy found them. The rescue kept him safe and healthy and his foster mom loved him with all of her heart. We thought that our job was to find him a new home, but we were wrong. This time, our job was to let him wait with us until he could return to his true home, to his family. It was meant to be.
A tearful reunion happened on Friday night as Boo and his family got back together after four long months apart. I wish I could have been there. I am told that everyone was crying like crazy. The pictures and video were enough to bring on the waterworks for me. Boo was overcome with joy when they were reunited. Mom (not my place to share names) was so emotional that she had to step away for a few minutes and gain her composure. The family is hopeful that having Boo back in their life will improve her health. Dogs have a way of doing that.
It's not often that these kinds of story book endings come along, but when they do, it feels pretty amazing. It seems God had a plan for sweet Boo Boo. I'm glad I got to play a small part in it.
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| Boo talking to me! |
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Roxy
Roxy, our latest, is a 10-12 month old flashy fawn female. She is beautiful, smart, and eager to learn and please. She also thinks that she is the queen bee around here. She prances around with her perfect exaggerated boxer gait like a champion in a show ring.
This lovely lady comes to us by way of an independent rescuer in a little town to the north of us. She is a child of a divorce. She is healthy and in great physical condition so she was obviously well cared for yet neither person wanted her. She was dumped off to a lady who is known to take in animals no matter what. Her intentions are good, but the environment is not (think hoarder). She has 30 dogs that she tries to keep up with. Roxy is in heat and would have quickly become pregnant if not removed from that place.
She is extremely people social and doesn't meet a stranger, as a boxer should be. However her dog social skills, although improving, are lackluster. She is by no means dog aggressive, but rather indifferent at first. She had no idea how to play nicely and anytime she got excited, her attempt turned to mounting and attacking. We are working with her and although she still prefers the company of people, we encourage (supervised!) play sessions daily. She has been spotted cuddled up to each of her foster siblings a time or two, although she would never admit it;-)
She also has fairly severe separation anxiety. Her world was turned upside down and this behavior is often the result. I'm thinking she was a bed sleeper in her former home because no matter how tired she is, crated or not, she cries and whines for hours some nights being away from us. I have never had a dog that after a week, wouldn't just rest calmly with the other dogs at night. She has damaged two crates already. She comes to work with me every day at this point because she isn't ready for extended crating yet and I don't know what she would do to the house if I left her out. She will climb or tear down any gate.
Despite her little issues, she has us totally captivated. She entertains us daily with her unusual favorite activity. Boxers are not typically swimmers. Their cropped tails, short hair and dense bodies don't tend to be very buoyant. More than once, I have seen the myth "all dogs can swim" disproven. Whenever we get a new dog that we feel is curious or clumsy enough to fall in the pool, we A) make sure they can actually swim and B) teach them how to get to the stairs to get out should they happen to take a plunge. One lesson is usually all it takes to ensure that they steer clear. The experience is apparently so repulsive that never has a dog fallen in twice. Maybe swimming is instinctual for a retriever, but as for little Roxy, well she just sunk. The difference between her and every other foster we have had is that she was undeterred. If we were in the pool, she wanted to be in the pool. She had no fear and no swimming skills...not a good combination. It was a fatal disaster waiting to happen. We worked with her, literally teaching her to move her legs and stay afloat. She eventually started to paddle on her own, looking like a cat flailing around aimlessly. But over the week, she got more and more graceful in the water. Now she seems to think she is a Labrador. She plunges into the water over and over again. The day Roxy fell in the water changed her life.
Because she is in heat, she has not been spayed, therefore has not been listed yet. I think that because of her picture perfect looks, she will attract a lot of attention and get applications quickly once she is.
She is extremely people social and doesn't meet a stranger, as a boxer should be. However her dog social skills, although improving, are lackluster. She is by no means dog aggressive, but rather indifferent at first. She had no idea how to play nicely and anytime she got excited, her attempt turned to mounting and attacking. We are working with her and although she still prefers the company of people, we encourage (supervised!) play sessions daily. She has been spotted cuddled up to each of her foster siblings a time or two, although she would never admit it;-)
She also has fairly severe separation anxiety. Her world was turned upside down and this behavior is often the result. I'm thinking she was a bed sleeper in her former home because no matter how tired she is, crated or not, she cries and whines for hours some nights being away from us. I have never had a dog that after a week, wouldn't just rest calmly with the other dogs at night. She has damaged two crates already. She comes to work with me every day at this point because she isn't ready for extended crating yet and I don't know what she would do to the house if I left her out. She will climb or tear down any gate.
Despite her little issues, she has us totally captivated. She entertains us daily with her unusual favorite activity. Boxers are not typically swimmers. Their cropped tails, short hair and dense bodies don't tend to be very buoyant. More than once, I have seen the myth "all dogs can swim" disproven. Whenever we get a new dog that we feel is curious or clumsy enough to fall in the pool, we A) make sure they can actually swim and B) teach them how to get to the stairs to get out should they happen to take a plunge. One lesson is usually all it takes to ensure that they steer clear. The experience is apparently so repulsive that never has a dog fallen in twice. Maybe swimming is instinctual for a retriever, but as for little Roxy, well she just sunk. The difference between her and every other foster we have had is that she was undeterred. If we were in the pool, she wanted to be in the pool. She had no fear and no swimming skills...not a good combination. It was a fatal disaster waiting to happen. We worked with her, literally teaching her to move her legs and stay afloat. She eventually started to paddle on her own, looking like a cat flailing around aimlessly. But over the week, she got more and more graceful in the water. Now she seems to think she is a Labrador. She plunges into the water over and over again. The day Roxy fell in the water changed her life.
Because she is in heat, she has not been spayed, therefore has not been listed yet. I think that because of her picture perfect looks, she will attract a lot of attention and get applications quickly once she is.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Olivia
Most dogs end up with us because they have been neglected, abused, or abandoned. Because of this, most of them also come with baggage, mental, physical, or both. But every now and then, a dog like Olivia, our latest foster, comes along. She and her brother had been in a nice home well loved and well cared for their entire lives. Life got tough for their "mom" and sadly, she lost her home. It was a tragic day for her when she had to say goodbye to her two dogs that she had shared her life with for the past 4 years. Olivia is a middle aged, well behaved, mild mannered, and healthy dog. She'd never seen the inside of a shelter or known hunger or loneliness. The odd part was, she didn't fit in very well here. I guess our house caters more to the troubled souls. She was a spoiled dog, used to a quiet life. She was depressed being away from her brother and her home and refused to eat. Luckily, her time with us was to be short.
I had a potential adopter that I had approved an application on months ago. His references were wonderful. His wish for the "perfect dog" was what held us up. I appreciated his honesty in what he could handle. This would be his first dog as an adult. He admitted that he didn't know how to train a dog and he probably couldn't meet the needs of a dog with issues. He also hoped for a settled dog, a little older, that wouldn't be bouncing off the walls all the time. That in itself is a tall order for a boxer! He'd told me that he was willing to wait for the right dog to come along, no matter how long it took. I thought of him when I found out that we were getting this pair of dogs, although part of me figured he'd gone elsewhere to find his dog. Little did I know, he had been following our rescue on facebook all along. I didn't get a chance to reach out to him before he contacted me. He too thought that either Olivia or her brother, Harley, might be a great fit for him.
Olivia was clearly missing her life and after only a day was getting overly attached to me. She never left my side and snapped at Jax and Dixie when they came near me. I thought that if she was going to attach herself to someone, it may as well be her new family, if possible. I'd hate to get her comfortable and then uproot her again. So, I took her over to meet the adopter, who is only minutes from us. It was love at first sight. I came home alone. Olivia stayed for the weekend. I picked her up one more time to get her vetted and micro chipped, but she never came back to our house. It was the fasted adoption I'd ever done.
Her new family reports that she has finally started eating and coming out of her shell. She lives with two guys and one of their girlfriends is there most of the time. They have family and friends over often and everyone just adores Olivia. She is once again a spoiled, happy girl.
I had a potential adopter that I had approved an application on months ago. His references were wonderful. His wish for the "perfect dog" was what held us up. I appreciated his honesty in what he could handle. This would be his first dog as an adult. He admitted that he didn't know how to train a dog and he probably couldn't meet the needs of a dog with issues. He also hoped for a settled dog, a little older, that wouldn't be bouncing off the walls all the time. That in itself is a tall order for a boxer! He'd told me that he was willing to wait for the right dog to come along, no matter how long it took. I thought of him when I found out that we were getting this pair of dogs, although part of me figured he'd gone elsewhere to find his dog. Little did I know, he had been following our rescue on facebook all along. I didn't get a chance to reach out to him before he contacted me. He too thought that either Olivia or her brother, Harley, might be a great fit for him.
Olivia was clearly missing her life and after only a day was getting overly attached to me. She never left my side and snapped at Jax and Dixie when they came near me. I thought that if she was going to attach herself to someone, it may as well be her new family, if possible. I'd hate to get her comfortable and then uproot her again. So, I took her over to meet the adopter, who is only minutes from us. It was love at first sight. I came home alone. Olivia stayed for the weekend. I picked her up one more time to get her vetted and micro chipped, but she never came back to our house. It was the fasted adoption I'd ever done.
Her new family reports that she has finally started eating and coming out of her shell. She lives with two guys and one of their girlfriends is there most of the time. They have family and friends over often and everyone just adores Olivia. She is once again a spoiled, happy girl.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
My May
Each of the last three years, I have done around 40 blog posts. This year, I'm on track to hit just 16. My time has been more consumed by work than ever before due to some restructuring of the operation as well as some technology failures. I spend countless hours staring at my computer leaving me with no desire to log in when I get home. I hate that I have been neglecting my writing because my blog is very important to me. It's my memory bank. I already regret not writing more about Brodie and Gracie (who's antics could have filled weeks of blogging). They were just as important to me as any of my other dogs and yet years from now, I will have less left of them. I need to make writing a priority again.
Since Haven left (she is doing wonderfully in her new home by the way) we have had Boo come and go. Boo has been in our rescue for over 3 months now. His foster mom went on a 3 week vacation out of the country and instead of boarding, he came to stay with us. Boo is deaf and has some major issues. The poor boy spent an entire year in a shelter. That is both horrendous and miraculous. Extended shelter life is incredibly hard on any dog, let alone a special needs dog. The miraculous part is that after all that time, he actually made it out alive. He was finally adopted and not a year later his adopter became critically ill and poor Boo faced homelessness yet again. That is when he came to our rescue, along with his little pal, a miniature schnauzer, who was adopted almost instantly. Boo, like many deaf dogs, struggles with extreme anxiety. He came to us to work on some training and to learn some dog play manners. He had only been around females and most of them were small. His play was quite aggressive. Dixie loves difficult dogs because it gives her a job. She got to work on him right away, spending literally hours the first night encouraging play and correcting anything that got out of hand. In the short time he was here, his manners improved incredibly. Boo's foster mom is new to fostering and I applaud her for not giving up on him. He is a lot to handle, even for someone with experience. We offered to keep him, but she absolutely adores him and couldn't wait to have him back. She asked only for my advice and I sent him back to her with all I could think of. She swears that she won't adopt him, but only because she is older and she feels he needs someone young. She says that he will likely outlive her. She doesn't trust her family with the responsibility of him and doesn't want him to lose another home. Of course, our little rescue family would make sure that he always had a good home, but I understand and respect her decision. She even decided to foster another dog so that Boo would have a companion. Anxiety issues aside, what an amazing temperament he has. He was awesome with Livi, my 2 year old niece. He was gentle and adored the attention she covered him in. I don't often recommend deaf dogs to families with small children, but Boo Boo is an exception to the "rule".
We also got a special visitor over Memorial Day weekend. Bella! Oh, and she brought Jen with her;-) This was the first time that we have had a former foster back to visit. Although Bella was with us for 6 months, she had already been gone for 8. I wondered if she would remember us, the dogs, her former home. And with certainty, the answer is yes. She sure did! It was a fun reunion. Dixie went absolutely crazy, to the point of obsessing. (Of all the fosters, Bella's departure was by far the most traumatic for Dixie and I will never forget the mournful howling. I had never heard her do it before, and I haven't heard it since.) After the initial excitement, Bella made her self quite at home. It was neat to see how she remembered little things, like that the best place for hunting is behind the shed and that the robot pool cleaner is her nemesis. We had a nice long weekend of eating, drinking and relaxing. Our biggest decisions were whether to lounge on the couch or out by the pool. It was great! As you can see by the pictures, the dogs had fun too! It was just a big blur of white fur when they got to playing.
I expect our next foster, Harley, this coming weekend. It will have been two full weeks of no foster dog in the house, the biggest gap we've had in a long time.
Since Haven left (she is doing wonderfully in her new home by the way) we have had Boo come and go. Boo has been in our rescue for over 3 months now. His foster mom went on a 3 week vacation out of the country and instead of boarding, he came to stay with us. Boo is deaf and has some major issues. The poor boy spent an entire year in a shelter. That is both horrendous and miraculous. Extended shelter life is incredibly hard on any dog, let alone a special needs dog. The miraculous part is that after all that time, he actually made it out alive. He was finally adopted and not a year later his adopter became critically ill and poor Boo faced homelessness yet again. That is when he came to our rescue, along with his little pal, a miniature schnauzer, who was adopted almost instantly. Boo, like many deaf dogs, struggles with extreme anxiety. He came to us to work on some training and to learn some dog play manners. He had only been around females and most of them were small. His play was quite aggressive. Dixie loves difficult dogs because it gives her a job. She got to work on him right away, spending literally hours the first night encouraging play and correcting anything that got out of hand. In the short time he was here, his manners improved incredibly. Boo's foster mom is new to fostering and I applaud her for not giving up on him. He is a lot to handle, even for someone with experience. We offered to keep him, but she absolutely adores him and couldn't wait to have him back. She asked only for my advice and I sent him back to her with all I could think of. She swears that she won't adopt him, but only because she is older and she feels he needs someone young. She says that he will likely outlive her. She doesn't trust her family with the responsibility of him and doesn't want him to lose another home. Of course, our little rescue family would make sure that he always had a good home, but I understand and respect her decision. She even decided to foster another dog so that Boo would have a companion. Anxiety issues aside, what an amazing temperament he has. He was awesome with Livi, my 2 year old niece. He was gentle and adored the attention she covered him in. I don't often recommend deaf dogs to families with small children, but Boo Boo is an exception to the "rule".
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| Handsome Boo Boo! |
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| Spending time with Livi. |
We also got a special visitor over Memorial Day weekend. Bella! Oh, and she brought Jen with her;-) This was the first time that we have had a former foster back to visit. Although Bella was with us for 6 months, she had already been gone for 8. I wondered if she would remember us, the dogs, her former home. And with certainty, the answer is yes. She sure did! It was a fun reunion. Dixie went absolutely crazy, to the point of obsessing. (Of all the fosters, Bella's departure was by far the most traumatic for Dixie and I will never forget the mournful howling. I had never heard her do it before, and I haven't heard it since.) After the initial excitement, Bella made her self quite at home. It was neat to see how she remembered little things, like that the best place for hunting is behind the shed and that the robot pool cleaner is her nemesis. We had a nice long weekend of eating, drinking and relaxing. Our biggest decisions were whether to lounge on the couch or out by the pool. It was great! As you can see by the pictures, the dogs had fun too! It was just a big blur of white fur when they got to playing.
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| Little Bella all tuckered out. |
I expect our next foster, Harley, this coming weekend. It will have been two full weeks of no foster dog in the house, the biggest gap we've had in a long time.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Golden Oldie
Two senior boxers were found near the interstate in town here. They were picked up by animal control and brought to the shelter where my good friend works (I say works, because she spends every spare second saving these dogs, but she doesn't get paid. She is an angel on this earth.). They were an obviously bonded pair. A male and a female. Everyone assumed that someone would come for them, that someone was missing these dogs. But nobody came. After the "hold" period, he was put on the adoption line. She, being heart worm positive, was put on the euthanasia list. This busy shelter does not have the funds or the resources to treat sick dogs.
Of course, I'd had my eye on that old girl, but we were completely full at the time with several dogs already in boarding in need of fosters. My friend was able to get an extension on her life and found another boxer rescue willing to take her in if money was raised for her care. She raised the money and got transport set up for last weekend. Then sadly, tragedy struck for the receiving rescue when they lost one of their own. It was a rare occasion in that I was in between fosters. So, we were blessed with the privilege of caring for her until her rescue is ready for her.
Haven fit seamlessly into our family. It's almost as though she has lived all of her years with us. She is so well behaved and good natured. Clearly, she was a loved member of a family at some point. She is well socialized and confident and knows several "commands," (I hate that term) come, sit, down, stay, shake, and catch. How on earth did she end up out there? We can't write their history, but can only make guesses. Did somebody die? It's the only thing that makes sense in my head. Although, the senseless happens everyday. We see owner surrender reasons that just say "too old." Too old for what? I wonder. Because we will all be "too old" for something, someday. I would guess Haven to be between 9-11 years old (which is about the average life span of a boxer). She is full of lumps and bumps and because of her age, is not a candidate for traditional heart worm
treatment. Her bark is soft and hoarse. Her once obviously beautiful brindle coat is now riddled with grey. Her face is white. But "too old"? No way. She is such a happy dog with plenty of pep left in her step. She still does boxer wiggles and spins. She rests a lot, of course, but for a few minutes at a time, she plays enthusiastically with our dogs. She looks at us with her soft, if slightly hazy, wise eyes and they are so full of love. She sure isn't "too old" for us.
It's been just a week, but the old lady has stolen my heart. I don't know how much time she has left, but I wish that she could spend the rest of her days, however many they may be, with our family. The odds of her getting adopted are probably slim, so she will likely be a forever foster in her new rescue. I'm quite sure she will be well cared for and loved there. It's a wonderful place, this "boxer ranch". Still, I'm afraid I will regret letting her go.
Of course, I'd had my eye on that old girl, but we were completely full at the time with several dogs already in boarding in need of fosters. My friend was able to get an extension on her life and found another boxer rescue willing to take her in if money was raised for her care. She raised the money and got transport set up for last weekend. Then sadly, tragedy struck for the receiving rescue when they lost one of their own. It was a rare occasion in that I was in between fosters. So, we were blessed with the privilege of caring for her until her rescue is ready for her.
Haven fit seamlessly into our family. It's almost as though she has lived all of her years with us. She is so well behaved and good natured. Clearly, she was a loved member of a family at some point. She is well socialized and confident and knows several "commands," (I hate that term) come, sit, down, stay, shake, and catch. How on earth did she end up out there? We can't write their history, but can only make guesses. Did somebody die? It's the only thing that makes sense in my head. Although, the senseless happens everyday. We see owner surrender reasons that just say "too old." Too old for what? I wonder. Because we will all be "too old" for something, someday. I would guess Haven to be between 9-11 years old (which is about the average life span of a boxer). She is full of lumps and bumps and because of her age, is not a candidate for traditional heart worm
treatment. Her bark is soft and hoarse. Her once obviously beautiful brindle coat is now riddled with grey. Her face is white. But "too old"? No way. She is such a happy dog with plenty of pep left in her step. She still does boxer wiggles and spins. She rests a lot, of course, but for a few minutes at a time, she plays enthusiastically with our dogs. She looks at us with her soft, if slightly hazy, wise eyes and they are so full of love. She sure isn't "too old" for us.
It's been just a week, but the old lady has stolen my heart. I don't know how much time she has left, but I wish that she could spend the rest of her days, however many they may be, with our family. The odds of her getting adopted are probably slim, so she will likely be a forever foster in her new rescue. I'm quite sure she will be well cared for and loved there. It's a wonderful place, this "boxer ranch". Still, I'm afraid I will regret letting her go.
I wish more people would consider adopting senior dogs. The time allowed to share with them may be short, but worth it. I am positive that even if Haven died tomorrow, she would die a happy dog, and I would have had a week of my life made better by her being in it.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
My Grace is Gone
Gracie has found her forever home! She moved all the way up to north Kansas. She lives in the country with 16 acres to run around on and burn up all that energy. She joins two other young boxers that love to play. There are a bunch of kids in the family that visit regularly too. Sounds like our girl will stay plenty busy.
We got up at 4am on Saturday and the whole crew piled into the car to meet Gracie's new mom and dad up in Joplin, MO, the half way point. We were planning to meet at 9:00. I got a text from them at 8:15 that they were already at the park. When we got there, she told me that they had been too excited to sleep and were awake and ready to go at 2am!
We visited for a while and when it was time to go, Gracie hopped willingly into their car, more than ready to start her new life. It's a little easier to let go when they are confident like Gracie. I knew she'd be fine. She is the definition of happy and always up for anything.
I got a text that afternoon from the rescue director. It said "Thank you so much for all you and Jonathon did for Gracie. I know you two were her only hope in ever getting a home." Although I don't think that is necessarily true, it was very nice to hear. This is why we take the ones that nobody else wants to try. She is a wonderful dog. She just needed some guidance after a rough start at life.
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| Gracie's new family
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Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Long time gone.
Life has been nothing short of exhausting lately, in all aspects, and the past couple months are somewhat of a blur. Contrary to what is seems, I have not given up on blogging and as summer approaches, I anticipate having more time and energy to get back to regular posting. I appreciate that people are missing me (Thanks Auntie Kathy!) but I am also disappointed to have missed out on documenting my experiences with my current foster dog. I love going back and reading about and remembering the dogs of my past. That is, after all, why I started blogging in the first place.
I have had her since Brodie left. Almost two months now since Gracie has joined our family. She is a big dog, the biggest female we have ever had. She is a sealed brindle which means she is solid black and even looks a little blue in the right light. A real beauty. But at just a year old, she has been quite a handful. As our dogs reached that perfect middle age stage of life, it's easy to forget what it's like to have a puppy in the house. No shoe is safe! Hell, nothing is safe. I went outside the other day to three different blankets lying in the yard. She dragged them out through the dog door! She loves bras, slippers, paper, sticks, rocks, the list goes on. You really can't take your eyes off her!
She came to us from Broken Bow, OK. She had been found as a stray at only 9 months old, taken in by another rescue, and adopted out. Unfortunately, the rescue failed to educate the family on what owning a 60lb boxer puppy entails, let alone one who had been living on the streets and had zero training. They were an older couple with two toddler age grandchildren living with them. They didn't have the ability to exercise or train her and were in completely over their heads. After having her for a couple months, they did the right thing by her, admitting that they couldn't provide to her what she needed and giving her to us.
I'm not sure where the initial assessment of Gracie took place, but we were told that she needed to be either the "only dog" in the house, or be with another "submissive dog." I had my doubts about that, being she was barely a year old. I assumed her massive size and her untamed energy were deceiving and she was prematurely judged. Still, we don't take chances with inexperienced foster homes and Gracie had to sit tight until Brodie was adopted so she could come here and we could figure her out. We were right on the money. Not a dominate bone in her body. Quite the opposite, she was actually very submissive when she met our dogs.
Interestingly, it was Jax that took the reins with her initially. Dixie usually obsesses over new foster dogs, never leaving their sides. She seemed almost indifferent to Gracie being here at all. Jax showed more patience with her shenanigans than he typically does and they have formed a strong bond. Eventually, of course, Dixie did warm up to her. Good thing, because they have to take turns keeping her entertained.
She is exhausting, but we all love her.
I am currenlty working an adoption application on Gracie. They live in Kansas, so I am trying to arrange a home visit, but their references are glowing, so I have high hopes.
I have had her since Brodie left. Almost two months now since Gracie has joined our family. She is a big dog, the biggest female we have ever had. She is a sealed brindle which means she is solid black and even looks a little blue in the right light. A real beauty. But at just a year old, she has been quite a handful. As our dogs reached that perfect middle age stage of life, it's easy to forget what it's like to have a puppy in the house. No shoe is safe! Hell, nothing is safe. I went outside the other day to three different blankets lying in the yard. She dragged them out through the dog door! She loves bras, slippers, paper, sticks, rocks, the list goes on. You really can't take your eyes off her!
She came to us from Broken Bow, OK. She had been found as a stray at only 9 months old, taken in by another rescue, and adopted out. Unfortunately, the rescue failed to educate the family on what owning a 60lb boxer puppy entails, let alone one who had been living on the streets and had zero training. They were an older couple with two toddler age grandchildren living with them. They didn't have the ability to exercise or train her and were in completely over their heads. After having her for a couple months, they did the right thing by her, admitting that they couldn't provide to her what she needed and giving her to us.
I'm not sure where the initial assessment of Gracie took place, but we were told that she needed to be either the "only dog" in the house, or be with another "submissive dog." I had my doubts about that, being she was barely a year old. I assumed her massive size and her untamed energy were deceiving and she was prematurely judged. Still, we don't take chances with inexperienced foster homes and Gracie had to sit tight until Brodie was adopted so she could come here and we could figure her out. We were right on the money. Not a dominate bone in her body. Quite the opposite, she was actually very submissive when she met our dogs.
Interestingly, it was Jax that took the reins with her initially. Dixie usually obsesses over new foster dogs, never leaving their sides. She seemed almost indifferent to Gracie being here at all. Jax showed more patience with her shenanigans than he typically does and they have formed a strong bond. Eventually, of course, Dixie did warm up to her. Good thing, because they have to take turns keeping her entertained.
She is exhausting, but we all love her.
I am currenlty working an adoption application on Gracie. They live in Kansas, so I am trying to arrange a home visit, but their references are glowing, so I have high hopes.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Another forever home found!
It's that time of year again. Work is so busy and most of my free time is spent helping dogs, and not writing about it.
So I just introduced Brodie, not even a month ago, and now I happily announce his adoption! He went quickly, barely here for a month! After long-timers Bella and Winston back to back, this was a real surprise. We all got attached right away and it was hard to let him go so soon. He was such a sweet dog. You would think that the good byes get easier, but alas, they do not. It is bitter sweet every time. I don't know where my sad tears end and my happy ones begin. If I could skip the part where they look at me as I'm leaving them, It would be easier. I try not to show any sadness until I am gone, as not to alarm them, but the look is always the same. Head tilted, confused, sometimes panicked, "Where are we going, Mom? I'm coming too, right? Wait! Please don't leave me!" It breaks my heart every single time.
Brodie made giant strides forward while he was here. He was the happiest boy in the world all the time. Still, when I took him out of his comfort zone, which our house became, he was still pretty insecure and shy. I wouldn't have let him go just anywhere so early on in the rehabilitation process. His adopter is a life long dog owner and lover. She is also single and retired and home all the time. She was the city of Mayflower's very first animal control officer back in 2000. At that time, she placed a stray boxer with her son and his wife and they became a boxer loving family. She lost her own boxer, at the ripe old age of 13, a year ago. Six months ago, she adopted a young boxer/boston terrier mix. She decided that her new addition needed a friend. Enter Brodie.
When we first arrived, Brodie was scared and shy, as I knew he would be. He wasn't completely apprehensive with her, but he wasn't his affectionate self either. His tail was tucked. When we moved on to introducing the dogs, the real Brodie surfaced. He couldn't resist the offer to play and within minutes he was wiggle butting around the yard with her. Just like when he met our dogs, he gained his trust of her through her dog. He was soon loving all over her and accepting the hugs and kisses enthusiastically. And a new family was formed.
Brodie's new home is a beautiful mountain top property, about 30 minutes north of us. The views are incredible. Inside, a huge, rustic, floor to ceiling fire place with a giant dog bed in front of it. Outside, 5 fenced acres with woods and trails to run and play in with his new sister. An ideal home for just about any dog, but for Brodie especially, I couldn't ask for a better place.
So I just introduced Brodie, not even a month ago, and now I happily announce his adoption! He went quickly, barely here for a month! After long-timers Bella and Winston back to back, this was a real surprise. We all got attached right away and it was hard to let him go so soon. He was such a sweet dog. You would think that the good byes get easier, but alas, they do not. It is bitter sweet every time. I don't know where my sad tears end and my happy ones begin. If I could skip the part where they look at me as I'm leaving them, It would be easier. I try not to show any sadness until I am gone, as not to alarm them, but the look is always the same. Head tilted, confused, sometimes panicked, "Where are we going, Mom? I'm coming too, right? Wait! Please don't leave me!" It breaks my heart every single time.
Brodie made giant strides forward while he was here. He was the happiest boy in the world all the time. Still, when I took him out of his comfort zone, which our house became, he was still pretty insecure and shy. I wouldn't have let him go just anywhere so early on in the rehabilitation process. His adopter is a life long dog owner and lover. She is also single and retired and home all the time. She was the city of Mayflower's very first animal control officer back in 2000. At that time, she placed a stray boxer with her son and his wife and they became a boxer loving family. She lost her own boxer, at the ripe old age of 13, a year ago. Six months ago, she adopted a young boxer/boston terrier mix. She decided that her new addition needed a friend. Enter Brodie.
When we first arrived, Brodie was scared and shy, as I knew he would be. He wasn't completely apprehensive with her, but he wasn't his affectionate self either. His tail was tucked. When we moved on to introducing the dogs, the real Brodie surfaced. He couldn't resist the offer to play and within minutes he was wiggle butting around the yard with her. Just like when he met our dogs, he gained his trust of her through her dog. He was soon loving all over her and accepting the hugs and kisses enthusiastically. And a new family was formed.
Brodie's new home is a beautiful mountain top property, about 30 minutes north of us. The views are incredible. Inside, a huge, rustic, floor to ceiling fire place with a giant dog bed in front of it. Outside, 5 fenced acres with woods and trails to run and play in with his new sister. An ideal home for just about any dog, but for Brodie especially, I couldn't ask for a better place.
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| boxing with new sister, Lottie. |
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| Quick Kiss! |
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| Family photo |
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| They had no interest in stopping play to pose for me!
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Tuesday, February 5, 2013
No Words.
I guess I thought I had seen enough in the past few years of rescue that nothing would truly surprise me. I was wrong. A rescue in my network is trying to help a dog that had her feet cut off by her owner so she wouldn't be able to jump the fence. HER FEET CUT OFF. I actually wouldn't have believed this had I not seen the pictures with my own eyes. What in the hell goes through someone's mind while deciding to attempt this? I mean, seriously. How does that become a possible solution? Things like this get me so frustrated with the human race that it makes me physically ill. It just feels like there is no hope. There is just too much cruelty and ignorance. I try so hard to focus only on what I am able to do to help, but it just isn't that much in the grand scheme of things. It will never be enough. And that sucks.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Meet Brodie!
Our newest foster could be Jax's twin. His ears are a little floppier, and he is underweight, but other than that, he is a mirror image of our boy and every bit as sweet. He even had the same name. Buddy! (We have called Jax Buddy from the very beginning.) He seemed to recognize his name, so I changed it to the closest sounding name I could think of.
Brodie comes to us from the Texarkana area as an owner surrender. The situation is sketchy and the owner has one story and the person who has been helping find a rescue to take him (and has also been buying him dog food) tells a different story. Only Brodie knows the truth, but it's clear that he his situation was far from ideal. He is skinny, but gaining weight already since he has been getting good food and has been de-wormed. He is overly shy to not have been mistreated at some point. "Normal" boxers are outgoing by nature. He approaches with extreme caution and cowers at the slightest move. His self confidence is zero until, that is, he gets around our two heroes, Dixie and Jax. Perhaps more dramatically than I have ever seen a dog turn, he did when he met them. I'd had him for about eight hours when they first met. I had yet to see his tail move out from the tight, tucked position it was in when I picked him up. We don't usually do face to face introductions, we do the walk first. This time, because he clearly longed to be near them, we just let it happen. His tail and ears perked up for the first time and he was instantly a different dog. It was as though he was being reunited with his long lost best friends.
He is the sweetest, most gentle dog. It hasn't been a week yet and he is totally at home in our home already. He is quiet and pretty mellow for a two year old. Unless it's playtime, which he is all about! He is potty trained and picked up on the dog door quickly. I have started the crate training. Although he's not had any leash training in the past, he walks quite well. He gives great eye contact and doesn't pull at all. I think he takes comfort in being right by my side. He needs major socializing with people and that will be our biggest challenge. I think and hope he will come around quickly.
Welcome to the good life, boy, where you will never know severe hunger or thirst again and you will never be filthy and covered in fleas. You will snack on healthy treats and not have to rummage in the trash. You will learn to trust humans, even men, and learn that the ones allowed near you mean you no harm. And most of all, you will learn that I will protect you and love you as my own until the forever family comes along that is worthy of having you join their life.
Brodie comes to us from the Texarkana area as an owner surrender. The situation is sketchy and the owner has one story and the person who has been helping find a rescue to take him (and has also been buying him dog food) tells a different story. Only Brodie knows the truth, but it's clear that he his situation was far from ideal. He is skinny, but gaining weight already since he has been getting good food and has been de-wormed. He is overly shy to not have been mistreated at some point. "Normal" boxers are outgoing by nature. He approaches with extreme caution and cowers at the slightest move. His self confidence is zero until, that is, he gets around our two heroes, Dixie and Jax. Perhaps more dramatically than I have ever seen a dog turn, he did when he met them. I'd had him for about eight hours when they first met. I had yet to see his tail move out from the tight, tucked position it was in when I picked him up. We don't usually do face to face introductions, we do the walk first. This time, because he clearly longed to be near them, we just let it happen. His tail and ears perked up for the first time and he was instantly a different dog. It was as though he was being reunited with his long lost best friends.
He is the sweetest, most gentle dog. It hasn't been a week yet and he is totally at home in our home already. He is quiet and pretty mellow for a two year old. Unless it's playtime, which he is all about! He is potty trained and picked up on the dog door quickly. I have started the crate training. Although he's not had any leash training in the past, he walks quite well. He gives great eye contact and doesn't pull at all. I think he takes comfort in being right by my side. He needs major socializing with people and that will be our biggest challenge. I think and hope he will come around quickly.
Welcome to the good life, boy, where you will never know severe hunger or thirst again and you will never be filthy and covered in fleas. You will snack on healthy treats and not have to rummage in the trash. You will learn to trust humans, even men, and learn that the ones allowed near you mean you no harm. And most of all, you will learn that I will protect you and love you as my own until the forever family comes along that is worthy of having you join their life.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Good Things Come to Those Who Wait!
And after waiting almost a year, Winston has found his forever home! I am so happy. I promised him from the beginning that I would not give up on him, and I have fulfilled that promise. I am now 100% sure that I made the right decision keeping him here with us and not transferring him. His new family lives only a mile away from us! Play dates are in our future for sure! They are just perfect for him! They have had him at their house for two weeks now, and I went to visit Friday night and make it final. It's a match made in heaven. They are a fun, young couple and remind me of Jonathon and me when we got Asia, our first dog together. She went everywhere with us and went through so many milestones along side us. She was with us when we bought our first house, when we got married and when we packed up our lives to move across the country. Asia changed my life. Winston is their Asia. That is how I know the kind of life he has ahead of him.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Christmas 2012
Be careful what you wish for! In my previous post, just before Christmas, I complained a bit about the weather here being unseasonable warm....OOPS.
Our Christmas break turned into a complete fiasco thanks to the arrival of the winter weather that I had been longing for. Lesson learned. Arkansas is not meant for winter weather. What they are calling "Snowpocolypse" was the record snow storm in Little Rock history and completely shut down the entire city, along with much of central Arkansas. The irony is that we stopped trying to make it home to MN over our Christmas break to avoid this very thing.
We started our trip as planned, leaving Sunday morning for Daisy State Park in the Ouachita Mountains. Our first day's hike was a gorgeous 65 degrees. Day two was equally nice and we completed the most challenging part of the 28 miles we were planning to attempt. It was then that we were certain that we would be able to finish the whole thing! At least until we read the weather report. Rain all night and changing into sleet the next day with snowfall potential of 1-3 inches. Not wanting to be stuck in the tiny camper all day with the dogs, we decided to head home the next day (Christmas morning) and come back the following afternoon to continue our trip. With the temperature suppose to be in the 40's, surely any small amount of accumulation would be melted.
Christmas Day we went to a Dim Sum place for lunch and then went to a matinee. Just over two hours into a two hour and 45 minute movie, the power went out. And so it began. Almost an inch of ice had accumulated before the snow began to fall. And it fell and it fell and it fell. It was thick, heavy snow and power was going out all over the city as trees buckled under the weight. Our neighborhood sounded like a shooting range that night with limbs snapping and transformers blowing all night long. We did get to witness the rare phenomenon of thunder snow. The entire white snow lit sky turned blue/green in bright flashes. It was a pretty awesome site to see, although startling at first, as we had neither seen nor heard of anything like that before.
The next day there was 10 inches of snow on the ground and it was damn cold out! It was clear that we were not going to make it back to the mountains and we were regretting leaving our four wheel drive vehicle up there with the camper. 70% of Little Rock was without power. Traffic lights, grocery stores, and gas stations all out and roads were impassable for the most part. We just played in the snow with the dogs. Winston loved it! We figure that since we got no snow last year, this was his first ever. With candles for our only heat and all the blankets in the house, we and all three dogs spent a second night huddled together in bed. It was 48 degrees in the house by then.
Any hotels that did have power were full. The state park had power so the following day we decided to brave the roads and head back out there. At least the camper had heat and light. We attempted to continue the hike, but the freezing cold slush was hard on the dogs' feet and the remote trails (we were staying in the state park, but not hiking there) were impossible to navigate in the snow. We lost our way several times in the first hour. When we began to question our safety, we knew we had to turn back. We didn't want to be the people who wandered off into the mountains and got lost or stranded and froze to death. In total, we hiked only 13 miles of our goal. When you can't hike, and it's windy and wet, so you can't sit around a fire, camping just isn't that great. But our freezing cold home was worse. After two more nights in the camper entertaining ourselves by drinking and playing cards, we came back to the city and plugged in our camper in our office parking lot, which did have power. Then, when the power came on, we'd be close. By this point, my hair was well on it's way to dread locks.
The energy company worked around the clock. Crews and trucks from 16 different states came in. Finally, power returned to our house. Two of our tall cedar trees were uprooted and a third snapped right in half. Those are still laying on the house. Another large limb fell and crushed our gate. It hasn't warmed up enough yet to see if the pool has suffered any damage (the pump circulating the water keeps the pipes and filter from freezing). The most frustrating part was having to spend our only time of the entire year that our business is completely closed dealing with all this crap. Had it happened any other week, it wouldn't have been that bad. So we were cold and dirty and without technology for a few days. It could have been a lot worse. It will be an experience that we will always remember.
Happy New Year Everyone! Best wishes for 2013!
Our Christmas break turned into a complete fiasco thanks to the arrival of the winter weather that I had been longing for. Lesson learned. Arkansas is not meant for winter weather. What they are calling "Snowpocolypse" was the record snow storm in Little Rock history and completely shut down the entire city, along with much of central Arkansas. The irony is that we stopped trying to make it home to MN over our Christmas break to avoid this very thing.
We started our trip as planned, leaving Sunday morning for Daisy State Park in the Ouachita Mountains. Our first day's hike was a gorgeous 65 degrees. Day two was equally nice and we completed the most challenging part of the 28 miles we were planning to attempt. It was then that we were certain that we would be able to finish the whole thing! At least until we read the weather report. Rain all night and changing into sleet the next day with snowfall potential of 1-3 inches. Not wanting to be stuck in the tiny camper all day with the dogs, we decided to head home the next day (Christmas morning) and come back the following afternoon to continue our trip. With the temperature suppose to be in the 40's, surely any small amount of accumulation would be melted.
Christmas Day we went to a Dim Sum place for lunch and then went to a matinee. Just over two hours into a two hour and 45 minute movie, the power went out. And so it began. Almost an inch of ice had accumulated before the snow began to fall. And it fell and it fell and it fell. It was thick, heavy snow and power was going out all over the city as trees buckled under the weight. Our neighborhood sounded like a shooting range that night with limbs snapping and transformers blowing all night long. We did get to witness the rare phenomenon of thunder snow. The entire white snow lit sky turned blue/green in bright flashes. It was a pretty awesome site to see, although startling at first, as we had neither seen nor heard of anything like that before.
The next day there was 10 inches of snow on the ground and it was damn cold out! It was clear that we were not going to make it back to the mountains and we were regretting leaving our four wheel drive vehicle up there with the camper. 70% of Little Rock was without power. Traffic lights, grocery stores, and gas stations all out and roads were impassable for the most part. We just played in the snow with the dogs. Winston loved it! We figure that since we got no snow last year, this was his first ever. With candles for our only heat and all the blankets in the house, we and all three dogs spent a second night huddled together in bed. It was 48 degrees in the house by then.
Any hotels that did have power were full. The state park had power so the following day we decided to brave the roads and head back out there. At least the camper had heat and light. We attempted to continue the hike, but the freezing cold slush was hard on the dogs' feet and the remote trails (we were staying in the state park, but not hiking there) were impossible to navigate in the snow. We lost our way several times in the first hour. When we began to question our safety, we knew we had to turn back. We didn't want to be the people who wandered off into the mountains and got lost or stranded and froze to death. In total, we hiked only 13 miles of our goal. When you can't hike, and it's windy and wet, so you can't sit around a fire, camping just isn't that great. But our freezing cold home was worse. After two more nights in the camper entertaining ourselves by drinking and playing cards, we came back to the city and plugged in our camper in our office parking lot, which did have power. Then, when the power came on, we'd be close. By this point, my hair was well on it's way to dread locks.
The energy company worked around the clock. Crews and trucks from 16 different states came in. Finally, power returned to our house. Two of our tall cedar trees were uprooted and a third snapped right in half. Those are still laying on the house. Another large limb fell and crushed our gate. It hasn't warmed up enough yet to see if the pool has suffered any damage (the pump circulating the water keeps the pipes and filter from freezing). The most frustrating part was having to spend our only time of the entire year that our business is completely closed dealing with all this crap. Had it happened any other week, it wouldn't have been that bad. So we were cold and dirty and without technology for a few days. It could have been a lot worse. It will be an experience that we will always remember.
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| Road to the hiking trail...pre-snowpocolypse. |
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| Spirit Rock Vista |
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| Spirit Rock Vista |
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| Christmas night |
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| The morning after |
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| Front yard |
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| Frolicking in the fresh snow! |
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| Winston loved loved loved it! |
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| Action shot! |
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| Woohoo! |
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| Nobody would play, so he raced himself! |
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| This is the main highway connecting Little Rock with Hot Springs. |
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| Tree companies cut a path for a single lane of traffic to pass. |
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| Little Missouri Falls |
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| Crooked Creek Falls |
Happy New Year Everyone! Best wishes for 2013!
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