Tag Archives: foster dogs

Shetland Sheepdog

Books Lists and Life

Books & Reading, Dogs & Other Animals, , , , , , , ,
Shetland Sheepdog
Our foster dog who has since been adopted!

Wow, I had no idea I was so far behind in reporting my books read. Below are the lists for the months of March and April 2025. I will have to make another post soon to update you on my lists for May and June. Things have been busy, but still! My husband and I were both sick with the flu for three weeks. As I was recovering, my husband came down with it. A foster dog has come and gone on to his new home. We have done pet sitting for four dogs, two from the same family at a time. And the gardens are in full swing now requiring daily work. Whew, I am tired just thinking about it. So, here you go, my lists for March and April are below.

Books Read in March 2025

  1. The Lincoln Highway-Amor Towles (761 pages)

This book was not what I expected although I am glad I read it. Emmet is released from a juvenile work farm where he was sent for involuntary manslaughter. He discovers that two friends incarcerated with him stowed away in the warden’s trunk when he was delivered home. Emmett has gone home to take care of his 7 year old brother Billy. Their mother ran off years before, their father recently died, and their father lost the farm to the bank. Emmett and Billy plan to hit the Lincoln Highway and start over in San Francisco. This book covers their unexpected adventures for the 10 days before they head west. Most involve Wooly and Duchess from the work farm and next door neighbor Sally.

2. Artful Journals-Janet Takahashi (Non-fiction)

I really enjoyed this book about journal making. I learned some new techniques and enjoyed seeing the photos and processes.

3. The Art of Card Making-Various artists (Non-fiction)

This is a nice book with card projects, envelope making, etc. I enjoyed looking at the book but am not going to do any of the card projects. I would rather make my own than copy someone else’s templates.

4. Reason for Hope-Jane Goodall (Audiobook)

I have read this book before in print. It is an excellent book describing Jane’s time with the chimpanzees at Gombe and her continuing experiences. Not only is she a scientist, she goes to great lengths to change the world. I decided to to do the audiobook this time because I love Jane’s voice.

5. Tea with Elephants-Robin Jones Gunn

Friends Fern and Lily fulfill their dream of traveling to Africa together. Now middle-aged, God helps them see their blessings on this trip. We the reader get to live the experiences through them. From touring a tea plantation to seeing lions and elephants. The writing in this book is beautiful.

6. The Serviceberry-Robin Wall Kimmerer (Non-fiction)

The cover byline says it all-Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World. Some parts of the book were beautifully written and at other times, I found it to be a slow read. The message of the book makes it well worth reading.

7. Journal Sparks-Emily Neuburger (Non-fiction)

This Storey Book is part reference book, part hands on workbook. I enjoyed it and it is highly thought provoking. For now I have jotted down several ideas from it but may purchase my own copy in the future.

Magazines:  Country Living

Books Read in April 2025

  1. The Sketchbook Challenge-Sue Bleiweiss (Nonfiction)

Focuses on picking specific prompts for journaling ideas. Gives examples through showing individual artists works and comments. Also talks about how to do various methods such as screen printing or using wax, etc. Beautiful images of artists’ work.

2. Identity Unknown-Patricia Cornwell

A one time love interest and long time friend of Dr. Scarpetta is found dead at a defunct amusement park. He was an extraterrestrial scientist and died under suspicious circumstances. Lucy, Benton, and Pete are all working with Kay to solve the case. I thought this book was slower paced than most in the series because there was so much ground work to lay first. The last quarter was exciting. As with all Cornwell’s books, I enjoyed it.

3. Kiss Me At Christmas-Jenny Bayliss

I have read all five of Bayliss’ novels and enjoyed them all. I wouldn’t pick her books by the titles but when I see the author’s name, I grab them. I have never read one of her novels and not felt better. In this one, school guidance counselor Harriet Smith is trying to get through Christmas while her college age daughter spends it away from home. Hence her one night stand who shows up the next day as the attorney representing the owner of the defunct theater her students have broken into. Harriet takes responsibility and is let off the hook if they agree to fix the place up and put on a play for the holiday. Lots of caring friendships and more transpire throughout the course of the book.

4. Unraveled-Peggy Orenstein (Audiobook, Nonfiction)

This title is appropriate on two levels. It is about knitting a sweater, from shearing the sheep to processing the wool and then knitting the sweater. It is also about so much more. The book starts during the pandemic and onward. The author describes mentally unraveling with pandemic concerns, the demise of her father, and more. I’m glad I listened to this rather than reading it. I think it may have been a slow read but was an enjoyable listen.

5. Better Than Friends-Jill Shalvis

Another thoroughly enjoyable book from Shalvis. Olive Porter is back in Sunrise Cove to help her best friend with her son and provide moral support after the friend’s husband is in an accident on the job that puts him in a coma. Olive’s parents live off the grid and may be missing too. While dealing with all this she attempts to avoid former love interest and friend Noah Turner who happens to be her best friend’s twin brother. No luck. The two are continually thrown together with predictably delicious results.

6. Make Magic-Brad Meltzer (Nonfiction)

An inspirational message to his son’s graduating class at university. This message is actually for all of us. We need more magic in the world and the fact that it’s within our reach gives hope. This is a vey short book that should be read again and again.

7. The Grownup’s Guide to Painting with Kids-Jennifer McCully (Nonfiction)

This book contains instructions for lots of fun looking projects that I might try with or without kids. Not right now though so I am putting it on my Thrift Books Wishlist and returning this copy to the library.

8. We Solve Murders-Richard Osman

The story is fast paced and exciting. I’m pretty sure this will be made into a movie as was Osman’s previous book. The story line switches between characters and locations always chasing the murderer/s. The main characters are private security officer Amy Wheeler and her father-in-law, retired detective Steve Wheeler. The plot of this story in a nutshell is someone is trying to frame and kill Amy. They and friends go globetrotting to solve the case before it’s too late.

9. Love at First Book-Jenn McKinlay

This is a little different than McKinlay’s usual books but so good. Even teared me up at one point. Emily Allen lands a job as assistant to her all-time favorite author while she writes the final book in her famous series. Emily leaves her needy, controlling mother behind and flies to Ireland for the job. Of course, the author has an unfriendly but extremely hot son to contend with. You will become smitten with all the Irish characters in the book. When it’s time to leave, will Emily go? No spoilers from me!

10. Birds and Flowers in Colored Pencil-Fei Niao (Nonfiction)

Not much intro or technique. It does have some nice drawings though. I tried specific areas from a couple pictures. I need more guidance.

11. Little Landscapes-Priscilla Hauser (Nonfiction)

I like nearly all the paintings in this book. They come a tracing pattern for each one! I’m taking this book back to the library but have added it to my Thrift Books list to buy later.

12. Acrylics for the Absolute Beginner-Charles Evans (Nonfiction)

Same deal as above. Added to my list to buy later. I have to finish the painting lessons in the book I’m currently working through before I start another.

Magazines:  Forks Over Knives, Best Friends, Mary Jane’s Farm (I enjoy this one so much I just ordered a subscription!)

PeeWee the Sheltie

Bringer of Joy

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, , , , , , , ,
PeeWee

Time for an update on PeeWee! He has been with us for nearly a year now. He fits in so well that it seems he has always been here. (Read about his arrival here-First Foster Dog This Year! and his trials before he made it into the house Foster Pupdate!) After we lost Baxter unexpectedly to cancer last spring, our home was not the cheery place it used to be. Our pack was older, and Baxter was no longer here to make us laugh with his antics and expressions. PeeWee arrived in the fall and after adjusting to his new surroundings, he started making us laugh again. PeeWee was just two years old when he arrived. Our other dogs are all nine and older. He has livened us all up! He even gets 14 1/2-year-old Shelby to play with him frequently. Of course, her version of playing is to stand rigidly, wagging her tail and smiling while occasionally stomping her paws. It gets her exercise and makes her happy, so it’s all good.

At his six month recheck PeeWee still had high numbers on his Lyme test although it did come down about 100 points. So, he got a second round of doxycycline and will have another recheck in six more months. Mercifully, he shows no symptoms. And he loves getting his antibiotic because it is given in a chicken flavored pill wrap. PeeWee has lost one pound since his last vet visit, but it is no wonder. He jumps on and off the back of the couch about 50 times a day. His new favorite thing is to lay in the windowsill and watch the squirrels in the yard and the cars go by.

PeeWee fills his days with his windowsill antics, banana time, chewing bones, harassing his doggie sister Claire, occasional zoomies, and begging for food. Although this is all well and good, he wants us to resume hiking. We take the summer off from hiking because it is too hot and there are too many biting flies. Also, there is too much work here in the summer with gardening and large projects. PeeWee does not understand this. When it is time for a hike, he will zoom, squeal, and bark when his leash comes out of the closet. He runs to the car. On the drive to the day’s chosen hiking spot, he looks out the window the whole way to the trail head. If he deems the drive to be too long, he starts getting antsy and pacing. Once on the trail, he diligently looks at and sniffs everything he notices. There is no down time, he is on a mission to take in new information!

He also goes in the car with the other dogs for trips to grandma’s house. This is not quite as exciting as hiking, but still cause for constant watching out the car window. His favorite place along the way is a busy intersection where five roads cross with a couple of gas stations and other places of business. There is so much to see here that PeeWee’s little body is tense with concentration and watches all activity and even the excitement of pedestrians! We rarely have pedestrians where we live, so it is quite the novelty for him. There are no sidewalks, and it is rural so very few people ever walk by our house. The city streets are a thing of wonder to him.

In short, we are smitten with PeeWee. He is just so cute that everything he does is adorable. Not that we’re biased. Wink, wink!

PeeWee enjoying the patio.

Foster Fail!

Dogs & Other Animals, Rescue Happenings, , , , , , , , ,
Sheltie
PeeWee

What is a foster fail you may ask? Well, this picture sums it up. To be more precise, a foster fail is when the dog you are fostering does not leave the foster home. He is adopted by the foster family. We failed and PeeWee is home!

sheltie
PeeWee is being a gift with his Christmas morning bow!

On Christmas day my husband picked PeeWee up, put a bow on him, and said, “Here you go, Merry Christmas. This present is for you and Claire.” Best gift ever! Claire is one of our other shelties and the reason the gift was for her and me, is because she loves PeeWee. She seems to think he is her puppy. She plays with him throughout the day, every day. He can take bones from her mouth, and she rarely complains. When PeeWee is not looking, Claire just takes them back. They can do this for quite a while. Also, when we are out for walks or hiking, Claire keeps an eye on where PeeWee is and gazes adoringly at him every few seconds.

We knew it would be hard on Claire if PeeWee left for another home. As for me, I realized that I was attached when he started hiking with us. He did so good for a little dog that had such emotional challenges to overcome from his former life. He just fit. And this past year has been such a rough year for us with losing Baxter, our 14 year old lab-Rott mix, in the spring and then losing our 12 year old cat Morty right after Thanksgiving. We had some other trying issues too. PeeWee has brought such joy and laughter into our home that thinking of it without him is a very sad thing.

Rest time for some of the pack.

I like to think that we have made PeeWee’s life happier too. He was a timid dog, who spent a great deal of time hiding under the bed in his last home, and when he arrived here, would only eat at night when no one was around. He has been here four months and now smiles, plays with us and the other dogs, and is so happy to see us in the mornings that he gets the zoomies. And he gets so excited to go on hikes now that he whines and yips with anticipation when the leashes come out if we aren’t fast enough to get out the door.

Happy New Year to all of you, my faithful readers! Things are looking up for 2024 to be a much happier year around here as we welcome PeeWee as a permanent member of our family. It’s hard not to be happy when there is such an adorable, eager face looking you in the eye.

sheltie
Nap time. Or king of the blanket mountain!

Foster Pupdate!

Dogs & Other Animals, Rescue Happenings, , , , , , ,
PeeWee

PeeWee the foster dog did make it into the house after spending his first night here in the workshop to ensure that he was flea-free. (Read about his arrival here. First Foster Dog This Year!) I waited until late afternoon to move him inside, when I had time to scrub his crate again, and wash his bedding to prevent transfer of any flea dirt to the house. Although the adult fleas appeared to all be dead, I didn’t want to take a chance on any flea eggs making their way into the house. Nothing strikes fear into my heart like the sight of a flea. I think most people with multi-pet households feel the same way. Especially when you are old enough to remember the days before there were all the flea killing options available today.

That first evening was uneventful. PeeWee was afraid and withdrawn. I let him spend the first night in his crate to decompress and see what our home was all about. Every time I took him outside in the fenced yard to do his business, he was on leash. He examined the fence slats to see if he could fit through them and looked for other routes of escape from his leash. I found the only way to get him to do his business was to stand still and let him walk around me and not make eye contact with him. We continued to do this little dance every time he needed to go outside for the next couple of days.

PeeWee also ate most of his food at night when the rest of the household was in bed. He ate a few bites during the day, but that was it. This is typical of dogs that come from puppy mill type situations. His symptoms of the puppy mill variety are mild though. He soon readily took food and treats from our hands. He does continue to eat most of his kibble during the night. This drives Zekie crazy because he knows that food is in the crate, and he cannot reach it as hard as he tries.

PeeWee spent the majority of the next day in his crate too. I brought him out to join us during the day for a few hours at a time but kept him attached to me by a leash. Otherwise, he would run off to hide. The first time I let him in the living room without a leash, he decided to hide behind the couch, and I had to move it to get him out. After that, he stayed attached to me or the coffee table by his leash for the better part of three days.

PeeWee has been with us for two weeks today. He goes outside for potty duty in the fenced yard with the other dogs and does his business quickly. I stand outside with him every time, so I can keep an eye on him. I do still consider him a flight risk should he find a way to get loose. He is still a timid dog although he is gaining in confidence every day. He follows us around the house and sits beside us on the couch. He follows me to the bathroom but does not come in just in case I decide to give him another bath. I did bathe him again at the end of the first week when I found residual flea dirt on him. He sat beside me on the couch as soon as the bath was over, so apparently, I am no longer The Evil One.

Banana time!

PeeWee has learned to join the others in begging at their favorite time of day. Banana time! He takes his portion so gently! Our dogs love few foods more than bananas. Each dogs gets two bites. Everybody gets one bite and then there is round two where each dog gets a second bite. Cassius the greyhound can count to two and lays down once he has had his second bite. The others are eternal optimists and never give up. Daddy only ever gets to eat half of a banana due to the popularity of this routine. Woe be unto me if I let the banana supply run out!

Sleeping with the big dogs!

We are learning more about PeeWee every day as his personality emerges. We didn’t hear him bark until two days ago. I told my husband, be careful what you wish for. The range of things he barks at is increasing rapidly, from the coffee bean grinder to someone leaving to me sneezing. He learned that last one from Claire. I am not allowed to sneeze or Claire barks at me. I guess I do it wrong. He is my buddy in the evening when I sit down to read. He lays beside my legs on the couch and relaxes until bedtime.

I wonder what changes will be next? Time will tell.

First Foster Dog This Year!

Dogs & Other Animals, Rescue Happenings, , , , ,
Sheltie pup
Introducing PeeWee FurMan!

This is the first foster pup we have had at our house since last year. We did do short-term fostering of three dogs last year. We had Bodhi who was turned in at 6 months of age. He was cute and had such a great personality that he went to one of our previous adoptive families within a week of his arrival. (Foster Puppy! Bodhi, Part I) And we fostered Max and Pitusa for less than a week. They already had a home lined up as soon as they came into rescue, just needing a place to stay until their transport was set up to a neighboring state. (Fostering is Rewarding) That’s all we fostered last year because, well, I discovered that since I am retired and home with the dogs all day, I become attached, and it is just too hard to let the fosters go. That’s how we added Claire to our pack. To be fair, Claire came here shortly before the Covid lockdown hit and we ended up having her for six or seven months before a serious adopter inquired about her. We didn’t feel safe having any contact with people in the early Covid months.

The number of dogs coming into our rescue slowed down for a while after Covid. Those days are over and turn-ins are picking up again. And, we are seeing dogs with more behavioral issues than we used to see. All those “Covid adoptions” never had an opportunity for socialization and they are paying the price for it now by losing their homes. Rescues all over the country are experiencing the same thing. That’s how we ended up with our new foster. All rescues have a limited number of foster homes available that are willing to take on dogs with behavioral issues. Particularly dogs that have nipping problems. Our rescue already had two other dogs with these types of issues come in within the past month. And then we heard about this one who was being rehomed because of growling and snapping at the children in the home.

That’s what lead to me receiving a phone call asking if we could foster. After putting in place a plan for this little guy to have a timeline for when he would leave so I didn’t get too attached, we said yes. I think I can probably foster for a couple months and still let the dog go. Six months is just too long. Don’t worry, he won’t get kicked to the street when his time here is up. If need be, he will transfer to another foster home within our rescue until his final adoption.

And so arrived PeeWee FurMan. That was not his name before. It is one that evolved after his arrival because he is so small compared to our other dogs. Another member of our group discovered PeeWee for sale on Craigslist and made contact with the owner. The fate of dogs for sale on Craigslist is not always good. The owner realized this and gave him to us for the cost of a shelter pull fee, rather than what she had been asking. She wasn’t a bad person; she was just in over her head with a dog that needed a more experienced handler. PeeWee had snapped at the groomer and would growl and eventually snap at the owner’s granddaughters who lived in the home. He came from an Amish family and exhibited behavior of a puppy mill dog, preferring to hide under the bed rather than play with the girls. He also would not take food from anyone’s hand. These are all behaviors we have seen before in dogs that came from puppy mills.

The other issue that had to be dealt with was that PeeWee was coming from a home with a severe flea infestation. This was the most concerning part to me because we have four dogs and three cats of our own. I made plans to meet the owner at a Pet Supplies Plus that had an in-store self-dog wash that was halfway between our homes. I flea treated all our own animals before picking PeeWee up. The owner was to wash him before the transfer. I am unclear whether she did or not. He was clean but flea covered. The other reason for meeting at the pet store was so I could buy a Capstar which begins killing fleas within 30 minutes and lasts for 24 hours. I had the Capstar purchased and ready to go when they arrived. I asked the owner to administer it so he wouldn’t bite me since he had a nipping history. She held the pill in her hand and expected PeeWee to pick it up and eat it. I knew that wasn’t going to happen, so I finally just pilled him myself to get that medicine working. The woman filled out her paperwork and quickly drove away with only a quick pat. In her defense, she was on her way to the hospital to see a family member who was having surgery.

That left me and PeeWee alone in the parking lot. Our relationship got off to a rocky start. My next move was to take PeeWee inside the pet store for a bath. He was afraid. Luckily, I had him on a choker which is standard protocol for all our incoming shelties because they are notorious for backing out of regular collars with their small heads and pointy noses. I also had a small muzzle with me because I wasn’t going to be the next groomer that he tried to bite. The bath did not go well. I had my leash and choker on him as well as the two snap-in collars attached to the dog wash bathtub. PeeWee fought and struggled, certain that I was trying to drown him. Especially when I had to wash and rinse his ears and head because they were covered with flea dirt and that was where all the fleas were crawling to get away from the water and shampoo. At one point, he slipped the muzzle because it was a little on the large size for him. He bit onto one of the collars from the dog wash and I couldn’t get it out of his mouth for a while because he had clamped on so hard. I finally got the muzzle back on, and after letting the shampoo do its work for a while, I rinsed PeeWee and then used the dryer on him. This was also a traumatic experience for him. I’m glad he only weighs around 17 pounds or things could have gone much worse.

Then it was back to the car. We drove part-way home and then I stopped to read my book for a short while, giving the Capstar more time to work. We got home an hour and a half later. I got PeeWee out of the car and began a flea check. There were still fleas actively crawling on him! I started picking them off and squishing them. I quickly realized the futility of this and called my friend and our rescue intake coordinator who has dealt with the arrival of many dogs. She said she had never had Capstar fail to work and suggested I call my vet to see if they could do anything for me. It was good to hear her calming voice at that point to ground me a little bit. I was told my vet was with another client and she would call me back. I was nearing that freak out point that only those who have dealt with fleas in a multi-pet household can relate to. I called my veterinary office again and learned that they do not board dogs, particularly ones harboring fleas. The advice from my vet was that the fleas should be becoming at least sluggish because of the Capstar. Capstar is what they use on fleas infested animals that come in for surgery to keep the clinic pest-free. I was also advised to give a Simparica Trio (it kills heartworms, fleas, ticks, and other pests) to PeeWee in addition to the Capstar. I was not concerned about giving him this medicine because the previous owner did have him heartworm tested, and it was negative. The label says Simparica Trio begins killing adult fleas in three hours and kills them all within eight hours. This lasts for 35 days. I must commend the woman who answers the phone at my vet’s office. She stayed calm and managed to talk me down from my flea paranoia. Thank you, Marie!

PeeWee did get yet another bath out in the yard with the hose. Sorry it was cold Little Guy, but I was not carrying those fleas to our bathtub. Oh, and he also got sprayed with Wondercide herbal flea and tick spray. He spent his first night here in the workshop, which I feel bad about, but better safe than sorry. All this did result in his viewing me as The Evil One, but rest assured, it didn’t last.

More about PeeWee’s integration into the household soon!

PeeWee hanging out with daddy.

Books I Read in October 2022

Books & Reading, Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, Gardens, , , , , , , , , ,
Home Library

Hello Readers! The typical fall flurry of activity has been keeping me busy. This is a transition season. Lots of clean-up chores from summer, that must be completed before winter hits. I dug up three paper grocery bags worth of gladioli bulbs. The bags are covered with bulbs one layer deep across the bottom. This is to prevent crowding and allow for proper air flow. If there are too many bulbs in one bag, they will rot from the moisture retention. I still have to dig up the begonia and dahlia corms. They were still blooming, so I let them go. It snowed the past two days, so I will dig them up during the next warm spell we get.

Most of our outdoor time the past few weeks has been spent raking and hauling leaves. Some of the leaves went into our new compost bin. My husband built us a large compost bin from lumber and chicken wire. We are composting leaves, grass clippings, and kitchen scraps. Our first batch should be ready to add to the garden next year. I’ll let you know.

I was here by myself for a week in October while my husband and daughter went on a trip to New York and Massachusetts. I took a trip to the library the day they left, so I would have lots of reading material. I stayed home with the dogs and managed to have another foster dog by the time they returned from their vacation. Foster Puppy! Bodhi, Part I We had a fine time here at home! So, here are the books I read…

  1. The Wind Through the Keyhole-Stephen King

This book is one from King’s gunslinger novels. It is the prequel to the original series. It is a tale that seems like a cross of a past land and a futuristic fantasy world. I am not a Stephen King fanatic, but I do like to read an occasional one of his works. I found myself becoming invested in the main characters and rooting for them. An enjoyable read.

2. Write for Your Life-Anna Quindlen (Non-fiction)

A book about the importance of seemingly common writing to our everyday lives, and to the world. Sometimes, common makes all the difference, and proves not to be common after all. Well worth the read.

3. Maggie Moves On-Lucy Score

House flipper & You Tuber Maggie Nichols takes on her next project in Kinship, Idaho. She discovers a landscaper with lots to offer and discovers that you can build a family with something besides blood bonds. The house they are working on has a history involving a stagecoach robbery and lost treasure. A fun read.

4. Growing Wonder, a Flower Farmer’s Guide to Roses-Felicia Alvarez (Non-fiction)

Good information on choosing, growing, and harvesting roses. There is always more information to be gleaned and I appreciated the info on pruning. Alvarez is a third-generation farmer and has a degree in agricultural science. Good information to be had. Living life on a beautiful flower and vegetable farm in California sounds like an idyllic life until I think about the amount of work involved.

5. English Country-Julie Fowler (Non-fiction)

An interior decorating book in the style of the English countryside. I enjoyed perusing the page and got a few ideas. Sit down with a good cup of tea while you read it.

6. Sugar and Salt-Susan Wiggs

Margot Salton started life as Margie Salinas. She made the change after suffering a rough start in life. She becomes a successful chef and has a new life, complete with a budding romance with Jerome Sugar who works in the bakery next door. Margot must deal with her past as it comes back to haunt her in her new life. Susan Wiggs books are always enjoyable.

7. The Secret Supper-Javier Sierra

The write up promises a historical thriller involving Leonardo da Vinci and the Catholic Church. After reading 125 pages, I decided to return this book to the library. It has too many details and little action, being told as a narrative by a friar years later. I cannot bring myself to contine reading.

8. Where Women Create-Jo Packham (Non-fiction)

I’ve had this book out of the library before and I love it! Has pictures of various women artists’ studios and creative spaces. I find it to be inspiring. I’m not sure how these artists pull off the creative, cluttered look and make it so appealing. My own area looks like someone just dumped a bunch of stuff and ran for it.

9. Hill House Living-Paula Sutton (Non-fiction)

This is a decorating and life style book. Hill House is in England. There are nice photographs and some cute ideas within.

Magazines-Cottages and Bungalows(2), Tuscan Home & Living, Forks Over Knives (2)

Foster Puppy! Bodhi, Part I

Dogs & Other Animals, Rescue Happenings, , , , ,
Kitten with the new foster dog.
Jasper meets the new foster pup while Claire supervises in the background.

We got a new foster pup. And I mean puppy! Bodhi will be six months old in five more days. My husband had been away on vacation with our daughter, and he had a surprise waiting for him when he got home. Part of his welcoming committee was the puppy. It wasn’t totally unexpected as there had been talk that our fostering services might be needed soon.

Bodhi was purchased as a puppy from an Amish man. The lady who bought him took excellent care of him. He was up to date on shots and medical procedures. She also sent a detailed list of his daily schedule. This included scrambled eggs that she made for herself and her dogs. She also had another dog that was a year and a half old, so basically she had two puppies. The daily schedule included numerous meals and snacks, multiple play times, and snuggle times. Apparently, Bodhi was too rambunctious and his puppy behavior was intimidating and stressing the other dog. So, it was decided that Bodhi would be re-homed.

His original purchaser had him until about a week ago. Then Bodhi went on to his second home. There, I suspect his puppy antics were misinterpreted. His boisterous barking, growling, and playing were not a good fit for this home. It happens. That why rescues are here. So, Bodhi came to stay here with us for a bit.

Sheltie puppy
Bodhi watching me in the kitchen.

I had forgotten just how tiring young puppies can be. You have to watch them every minute. Bodhi really is well behaved for his age. He rarely chews on anything besides his toys. If he does pick up a random item, you tell him no once and he leaves it alone. He is reliably housetrained. The only accident we had was my fault. His signal to go out is to stand at the door and I missed it. I thought he was just playing but he was saying, “hey, I need to go outside”. That one was on me. And his crate training is excellent. He will rest quietly in his crate when it is nap time or if I have something to do and can’t watch him. He slept quietly in his crate for the entire night from his first night here.

Bodhi is really quite the joy and will make someone very happy. He is making us very happy right now. Puppies have such unfettered joy. He is happy to see us every time we come back in the house or even just return from another area of the house where he couldn’t go. Our dogs and cats are not as thrilled with him as we are. Bodhi loves cats. So much, that he follows them and runs after them to sniff and nibble them. Our cats are fairly good natured so they either ignore him or stay in a location that he can’t reach. There is an occasional hiss or smack, but Bodhi doesn’t take it personally.

Our dogs find him to be tiresome. Bodhi finds them to be wonderful. He follows them and tries to jump on them to play. Baxter and Shelby have told him off a few times with a curled lip or a loud Woof! Bodhi responses appropriately and looks for someone else to harass, um I mean play with! A few times I have found Bodhi chewing on Zekie’s foot or tail. Zekie looks at me and says, “Mom, I’m being good, but help! There’s a delinquent pestering me”.

I am having the best time with this puppy. But there is a permanent home in the works. Stay tuned!

Sheltie pup and me.
Bodhi and me!

Fostering is Rewarding

Dogs & Other Animals, Rescue Happenings, ,
Shetland Sheepdog
This is Max!
Shetland Sheepdog
And this is Pitusa!

We have had foster dogs again! It has been a long time. Two and a half years to be exact. Our last foster dog was Claire, and you know how that went since she is the most recent addition to our pack.

We haven’t fostered much in recent years. Once we got Zekie, he was all we could handle with the other dogs. (Zekie the Wonder Dog) He has calmed some over the years he has been here, or maybe we are just used to him. There’s also the miracle of Prozac in his life. (Good News-A Somewhat Calmer Zekie Bear) After Zekie was with us for about two and a half years we fostered again when our rescue group received an influx of five dogs at one time. One of those was Claire, who came into rescue with the name of Topanga! She never left.

I want to say that she was here for so long because of Covid isolation that I couldn’t bear to give her up. In fact, I have claimed this for a long time. However, I fear that the truth is closer to…now that I am retired and home with the dogs all the time, I get too attached to them and can’t let them go. And so, between that and the fact that we had six dogs, we took a sabbatical from fostering dogs.

We lost our oldest pack member, Nikki, last autumn at 14 years of age. (Miss Nikki Pouncer Pants: A Tribute) That put us back down to only five dogs. We made the decision that we could do short-term fostering again if the need arose. And we got the call that there was a need last week. Next thing I knew, I was in my car on the way to pick up two shelties from our rescue’s intake coordinator. They are named Max and Pitusa. I know, I was surprised by the female’s name too. Apparently, Pitusa means “sweet, funny little girl” in Spanish. And as I discovered, she is aptly named.

Max and Pitusa were sent to a boarding kennel because their owners were no longer able to care for the dogs due to their own failing health. They are one male and one female Shetland Sheepdog. They are 10 years old and appear to have led good lives and been well cared for. I am unclear as to whether they are siblings, but they are a bonded pair. And they already had a new home awaiting them. They just needed somewhere to stay from Wednesday until today (Monday), when transport was arranged.

This was the perfect set up for me, and they turned out to be perfect house guests. They were well mannered, sweet, friendly, and a little playful. I picked them up last Wednesday and put them into crates in the back of my car for the trip home. We didn’t get far down the road before the whining and yipping started. I put a podcast on my cell phone and the dogs quieted down for the rest of the 40 minute trip home. When I got home all of our dogs were outside except for Shelby who doesn’t do the pasture anymore. I brought Max and Pitusa inside and they met Shelby and our three cats. The new dogs were perfectly behaved, briefly sniffing the other animals and then keeping to themselves. Shortly thereafter, I brought the rest of our dogs inside in groups of two to meet our guests. There were some brief bouts of sniffing and that was it. Dogs, okay, cats, okay. Oh, look, a soft bed to lay down on.

At bedtime, I put the two foster pups in crates side by side in the dining room. They did quite a bit of whining and woofing. It took me a number of times coming back downstairs to squirt them with a water filled squirt bottle for barking to get through the night. I discovered that the crates were the problem for these two. I don’t think they had ever been crated before judging from their reactions. As I got to know them, I discovered that they were so well behaved that the only thing we used the crates for were mealtimes. We crate dogs at mealtimes to ensure that everyone eats their own food and no one else’s. It also prevents food related scuffles between dogs. Max and Pitusa were fine at night without being crated and we even went away and left them loose in the house or while we were working outside. No trouble at all. Let me point out that this is NOT typical for foster dogs, or any new dogs, coming into an unfamiliar house. I don’t believe I have ever left any dogs uncrated until they have been at our house for some time, and I am confident that all will be well. It just goes to show that there is always an exception, or in this case, two.

Max and Pitusa acted like they had always lived here from the moment they walked in the door. They got along with everyone, showing absolutely no aggression. They were completely relaxed, drinking from the water bowl with the others, following the humans from room to room with the others, running down the back stairs and out the door to do their business when everyone else did. They blended right in.

Shetland Sheepdog
Pitusa snoozing on the couch.

From the first day, Pitusa would come up to either my husband or me and paw us so that we would pet her. She would also give us a big grin to let us know that she was happy to have our attention.

Shetland Sheepdog
Max giving me a Class A smile!

Max was also good at giving happy grins. His favorite thing to do in the evenings was to sleep with his head on my foot. I think I loved it as much as he did.

The only notable difference with having these two here was in trying to navigate the house when all the dogs were laying down. Seven dogs take up a bit more real estate than five. It was a bit of an obstacle course trying to move from room to room. As soon as Max realized that I was going somewhere, he got up to follow me anyway. And these pups are only around 25 pounds, so they didn’t take up a lot of room.

We greatly enjoyed their stay, and we got to show them off. We are a family of dog lovers. My mother-in-law came to meet them one day and my daughter came the next day to meet the new dogs. So, I anticipate that we will be doing short-term fostering again since it was such a success. I doubt that the next dog will be as easy as these two, but that is not necessary. We do what we can for the rewards of being able to make a difference. I even told our intake coordinator, if we get a dog that comes into rescue and has a home scheduled but just needs some work before they are ready for placement, I think we are up for it!

I dropped Max and Pitusa off this morning for the next leg of their transport and they are probably in their new, permanent home as I write this. I am sure they will be happy. We found a home where they can stay together with one of our previous adopters, so I know they will be well loved. Have a good life little ones! It was a joy having you here, and I even got to include you in my post for National Dog Day.

National Dog Day
Our resident dogs at the time of National Dog Day.

Transformation of a Foster Dog

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, Rescue Happenings, , ,

Claire the sheltie relaxing
Claire hanging out at home

Claire has been with us for a year now. She came to us as a foster dog last January. She was turned in with four other dogs from the same owner. The elderly owner knew that she was reaching the point where she could no longer give the dogs the care they deserved. So she made the heartbreaking decision to turn the dogs over to our sheltie rescue group. I really felt for this lady because these dogs were members of her family.

Claire became a permanent member of our family over the summer. She was with us longer than expected because of the pandemic. When there was finally a  serious inquiry into adopting her, I couldn’t bear it. I couldn’t let her leave. Luckily for me, that adoption fell through, so I didn’t have to let her go. I remember when things were up in the air. I spent an afternoon sobbing while weeding the vegetable garden and thinking about her departure. The neighbors must have thought that I had received bad news and had some dread disease the way I was crying. So, once it was determined that she wasn’t leaving, we adopted her.

She has undergone a transformation in her time with us. Not only has her coat become shiny and plush, but she has developed an outgoing personality. Upon her arrival, she was quiet and shy. This lasted the first few months. She kept to herself and didn’t interact much with the other dogs and did not seek attention from us either. Boy, have times changed. Now Claire comes up to us and pokes us with her nose for attention. She is very persistent. And she will put her front feet in your lap and sit beside you demanding that you pet her. If you don’t, you get “nosed” repeatedly.

Claire the sheltie relaxing with daddy

Claire relaxing with daddy

We are still working on obedience commands. She has mastered the sit.  And when I tell her to come, she approaches me and stops at the half way point. Any thing else is currently beyond her. We continue to work on commands and know that one day, she will get there.

Dogs playing frisbee in the snow
Claire and Baxter playing in the snow

Claire has recently developed enough skills that she is a pack member, playing with our five other dogs. At first she didn’t understand respectful boundaries in regards to the other dogs’ food and toys. Fortunately, our other dogs our quite tolerant of new dogs. They have survived enough foster dogs that they cut a new dog some slack until they learn the ropes.

I just put the dogs outside for a minute. Claire and our sheltie mix Zekie (Zeke the Wonder Dog) were chasing each other in circles and playing. And when the other dogs play frisbee, Claire tries to join in. She has yet to grasp the idea of picking up the frisbee, but she has a grand time running and barking with the rest of the pack.

I’m sure the changes in her will continue and we will enjoy watching the development. We are blessed to have her.

A Memory Captured

Dogs & Other Animals, Rescue Happenings, ,

Super Weasel

This is a sketch I drew of one of our foster dogs a number of years ago. I know it’s no great piece of art, but it captured a memory.

This was a foster dog that came to us with the name of Lawrence. Our neighbor Larry had recently passed away and I felt odd standing in our yard repeatedly saying “Lawrence, do you have to pee?” Not to mention, it was a formal name for a one year old sheltie. He had a vey slender build and was always jumping up into the air. He especially liked to jump up and hit me in the butt with both his front feet when I would turn around to walk away. I often turned and said “You little weasel.” This eventually led to me affectionately calling him by the moniker Weasel.

Hence, this sketch with “W” on his front that I call Super Weasel.

He was a wonderful little dog that I loved dearly. I still remember tearing up when we left him at his new home. He went to a great family that also loved him dearly. He was renamed Scotty and became best friend and companion to a young girl. He became a 4-H dog and went on to run lots of agility. I couldn’t have asked for a better home for him.

Scotty left us to go to the Rainbow Bridge much too soon. I am still happily acquainted with his family, and that young girl is now an adult who has since adopted another sheltie from our Rescue.