29 Fosters in 2012

So, looking back on the blog since Jan 1st, 2012, it's been 29 fosters this year!

From Upper Left to Lower Right:

Urchin (now Steve) -6 month old Schnauzer mix with Ocean Dog Rescue, originally from a kill shelter in Taiwan. Adopted to a great home in Vancouver with K9 sibling, doting parents and teenage girls to play with. Remembered for: Running squealing from the chickens the first time they met.

Emmett (Gary) -4 month old Great Pyrenese x from Turtle Gardnes. Living with his dad and 9 year old in Langford. Remembered for: Be considered as a working therapy dog/seeing eye dog. (Turtle Gardens was asked if they would consider allowing him to go that program.) Stunning temperment.

Allie -2 year old very fearful Spaniel x saved last minute from Devore shelter, California. Living with three confident malteses and a patient mum in rural Cobble Hill. Remembered for: never thinking we could adopt her out. Her transformation from scared, fearful dog to silly family pet.

DimSum (Lucy) -7 month old Irish Terrier x from Turtle Gardens. Living it up in Metchosin on a neat little acreage with young active parents. Remembered for: always comparing her to her sister. Ironically getting the same adopted name as her sister, therefore becoming 'Lucy-Sum'.

Rupee (Nixie) -2 year old Miniature Pinscher x Chihuahua from California. Came as a last minute foster that a previous rescue had abandoned on transport! Now living the spoiled rotten life in Victoria with great parents. Remembered for: Changing my mind on MinPin mixes. Being Jerrad's constant companion.

Freddie - 4 year old Maltese x Poodle from Turtle Gardens. Dumped from a puppymill in Northern BC. Remembered for: being the nicest dog going. Doing the silly poodle dance.

Kahlua (Tucker) -6 month old Formosan Mountain Dog x from Ocean Dog Rescue (Taiwan). Now living with two police officers in Victoria. Remembered for: being labeled shy, but actually just being completely aloof.

Buckwheat (Skye) -4 month old Golden Retriever x from Turtle Gardens. Now living with TG alumni Tegan and smashing parents; living the good life. Remembered for: Dropping him off with Sheila and David knowing full well I wouldn't have to look at any other applications ;). Seeing him at daycare on Tuesdays :)

Alphie - 3 year old Chihuahua x from Devore shelter in California. Now living in beautiful Tofino. Remembered for: being quite sick when he came. Hating Alvin who was fostering here with him.

Megan (Maddie) -6 month old Border Collie x from Turtle Gardens. Now living with adoring parents in Sooke. Remembered for: Being close to a foster fail. Being quite a mellow/lazy border collie.

Suzie -10 month old Formosan Mountain dog x from Ocean Dog rescue in Taiwan. Recently adopted to a great home in Vancouver. Remembered for: preparing for a shy dog, and within 5 minutes having her in my lap. Her kicking me with those huge kangaroo legs!

Jasmine: 7-8 year old Formosan Dog Rescue, from Taiwan. Adopted with Zephyr to a home in northern BC. Poor girl had been through the ringer in Taiwan. Remembered for: Being totally uncomfortable being a house pet. The odd moments of sheer happiness she could have that unfortunately were far and few between at times. A truly 'special project' dog.

Chowmein (Lucy): 7-8 month old Irish Terrier x from Turtle Gardens. Adopted to a stunning family with an amazing acreage property in Sooke. Remembered for: Being a big couch potato. Wrestling with Lemon. The 3 homechecks we did in one day for her!

Onyx-Vudu (Captain): 7-8 month old Shiba Inu X from Turtle Gardens. Adopted to a great couple and their son. Living the good life in Esquimalt. Remembered for: Being off-leashable within a week, being just so darn cute.

Josh (Jake): 4-5 year old Golden Retriever from Ocean Dog Rescue (Taiwan). Adopted to a single lady in Vancouver who has the time to work with him. Remembered for: Being kind of a jerk, needing a firm hand, but having awesome aptitude for being a sports prospect. Reminded me that the kindest, best looking face isn't usually the best dog.

Truffle (Abby): 18 month old Flat Coat Retriever x from Ocean Dog Rescue (Taiwan). Adopted to a great family with a golden retriever named Hunter. Having a blast running the beaches and doing lots of swimming in Victoria. Remembered for: Having off-leash day 2. Being so close to adopting her myself, but knowing she was too easy a dog for me, and at the same time, knowing she needed more than us anyway. But soooooo close!

Migo: 1 1/2 year old Formosan Mountain Dog x from Ocean Dog Rescue (Taiwan). Adopted to a great single man in Duncan who bikes him everyday and takes him to work. Remembered for: Being my first Ocean Dog rescue, taking a lot longer than usual to get adopted for such a good dog, taking a few weeks to become an ideal dog in the house. A real handful, but a real sweetie once he learnt the rules.

Twist (Lita): 10 month old Border Collie in 11 pounds from Cozumel Humane Society (Mexico). My own save, and adopted to my co-worker Meshum and her partner. Remembered for: Being a right little spitfire, just not able to say no to saving her.

Momo: 2 year old Pug from Ocean Dog Rescue (Taiwan). Living in a nice big house with great parents and canine brother in North Saanich. Remembered for: Being the only dog so far in foster care that hasn't been able to be housetrained by the 'no pee, no play' method. Also, annoying the heck out of all the other dogs. SNORING!!!!

Hanna: 4 year old Chihuahua from California. Fostered between TG bus runs for the same people I fostered Rupee for. Now living in downtown Victoria and loving the busy lifestyle. Helps her mum study for her law degree with lots of cuddles. Remembered for: Guarding the couch and not being able to have couch priviledges. Being goofy when we'd go to the big field for everyone to play in.

Pika: 18 month old Pug x Mastiff from Turtle Gardens. Originally adopted in Sooke, but the family have sinced moved to Calgary, so she's now a Calgary resident. Remembered for: Being so silly looking, having the best face to photograph and shredding whatever paper she could get her paws on.

Alvin: 2 year old Chihuahua from California. Living downtown Victoria with his mum that treats him like a big dog despite his size of 5 pounds. Remembered for: having to teach to be a 'real dog'. Dancing for his water dish, growing on me like a weed.

Ginger: 2 year old Great Pyrenese x. Living with great parents and their cats in Sooke. Spoiled rotten indeed! Remembered for: Being my biggest foster at 90 pounds. Her manly bark and leaning her big sweet face in my lap.

Barley (Mika): 4 month old Golden Retriever x from Turtle Gardens. Fostered with her brother Buckwheat. Now living with great parents and canine brother Kobi. I get to see her at the daycare twice a week and she has grown into a fantastic dog. Remembered for: Always being asked if she was a golden retriever puppy, having applications out the wazoo.

Helen (Simone): 4-5 year old Formosan Mountain dog cross from TUAPA (Taiwan). Helen was held back to come to a foster home as she was apparently snarky with other dogs. After seeing some videos I could tell she was all bark and decided to take her on. She is now living happily with great parents and canine brother Pierre. Remembered for: Being the cutest dog going, always wanting the love.

Dickory (Hovey): 8 month old Husky x Corgi x Shiba Inu. A true Heinz 57. Fostered for Turtle Gardens after she failed an adoption in Vancouver. Now living with active single dad in Victoria. Hitting up the trails and dog parks every day, and being a social butterfly. Remembered for: Being a totally goof, and the happy-go-luckiest dog probably ever in foster here.

Luma (Luna): 8 month old Alaskan Husky x from Turtle Gardens, ditched for jumping on kids. Luna is now living the good life in Victoria with parents ready to tackle her training requirements. Remembered for: Giving anyone else the leash and her turning into a totally husky. Getting her instead of the foster I was supposed to get that particular bus run. Lots of kisses

Max: 10 month old Alaskan Husky x from Turtle Gardens. Max came instead of the arranged foster and threw us for loop as for the first few days he picked Beckett as enemy #1. Thankfully all got sorted and he found a loving home in Nanaimo very quickly. Remembered for: Dropping the long-line on him 1 1/2 weeks in and him bolting as if he was just set free in heaven. I had to chase him around for almost half an hour WITH the 20 foot long line!!

Zephyr: 7-8 year old Formosan Mountain mix from Taiwan. He came with Jasmine and although a bit of a cranky old codger he grew like fungus on us. A lovely old guy once he got over not liking Beckett. An EXCELLENT cuddling partner. Though he stayed the longest of all the fosters we've had, he was welcome to a place forever with us if he needed it. He is now living the good life in Northern BC. Remembered for: Staying the longest. The bald patch on his bum.

Looking forward to all that 2013 has to offer.
Emily Out

New Foster Upon Return

 

The holidays are a happy time of year. Families get together, we eat lots, we have time off -it's a good time by all. But it's an absolutely horrid time for shelter dogs in California where they experience an all-time high as people drop off their pets before holidays. And this is before the onslaught of puppies hitting the shelter because they were bought as unwanted Christmas gifts.

 

Surrenders are high, adoptions are low. It envitable -many of these pups aren't going to see new years. My friend June bombarded her page with at least 20 dogs that all fit my "bill" so to speak. It hurts to look at all of them knowing many of them won't be having a Merry Christmas.

 

I always go back to Yvette's motto though.

"I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do." -Edward Everrett Hale

 

Because I don't like to mix new Californian fosters with TG dogs or the Taiwanese guys (they undergo lots of quarantine) or even my new pup for minimum 3 weeks -contagion times-, my friend June is going to send me this girl who came to Victoria over a week ago and has shown no signs of anything. She is timid but not "fearful" in the sense of potential to be a fear biter. She needs confidence building (as do most of them after enduring what they've gone through) so it should be a good fit for everybody. Seems confidence building is our little niche.

 

We welcome Chelsea in the new year. This way, we can foster her but still allow for a Taiwanese and/or a TG dog to come in by the 10th as well as giving Chelsea's space away to someone who desperately needs it.

 

 

Little Chelsea

This is the little girl that's slated to take Chelsea's spot, but we shall see. You can never tell until she's actually "out of the building". Sometimes they are put down beforehand. If they are really lucky, someone else has saved them before. If not her, someone will definitely get her spot.

 



Merry Christmas everyone. I hope in the new year you consider to foster a dog and help be part of saving a life. Whether it be from local rescue, or going small and fostering for a group that rescues out of California or elsewhere, fostering is an excellent way to do a small part to make a bright future. There are bumps in the road, and I assure you that you will fall in love with some (they will be adopted quickly), and there will be some you want to kick out the door (who usually stay much longer), but every little bit helps. Even if you work 8 hour days, consider fostering an older dog who will probably be happy curling up on your couch for most of the day.

Even if you fostered just one dog in 2013, we can all do it together.

Merry Christmas,
Emily, Jerrad, Beckett, Lemon & Jinksie Doo

Urchin Found his New Home

Update from Saskatchewan: Urchin has found his home for the holidays :)

He is being adopted by adopters who have adopted with Ocean Dog Rescue before and will have a canine sibling, two teenage girls to play with and doting parents. MERRY CHRISTMAS URCHIN!! I am glad you won't have to come back to foster bootcamp with us, though you would have been more than welcome.

And so that makes 28 fosters through our foster home in 2012 -plus an adoptee! That puts us at just over 2 dogs placed a month. Not too shabby. Officially this is our first full calendar year of fostering as well, since 2011 fostering started in March.

The New Year will bring new fosters, but for now I'm sniffling cause I'm missing my babies (who will be my 'babies' until/unless I have human babies).

Here is a silly picture of the three of them at the K9HQ Christmas party.

They're all my babies. So happy with each one of them and even in the future I don't think I would move to a single breed. I love Beckett because he isn't needy and isn't overly loyal and doesn't require lots of attention, but at the same time he demands my exercise and he's a fabulously stable dog. He is "the rock".

I love Lemon for almost completely reverse reasons. She's a needy little bugger with a bit of attitude to her, she is highly capable but not highly willing ----much like her mother!! She is friendly to the point of running off with almost stranger she meets. She's quite a 'soft' dog in many ways, but can be very stubborn. Most of all, she is a fantastic cuddler and constant companion. She's the "buddy buddy" dog. A lab in 11 pounds.

And Jinksie doo, though I haven't had her very long yet is already the willing one, the one eager to bond and eager to work . A different kind of dog altogether with an intensity I haven't seen matched in another breed yet. A dog with a different relationship want -neither like Beckett who would rather just be 'good roommates', or Lemon who wants to be your buddy and lap-warmer, but a dog who wants you to tell her what you'd like her to do. Sure she wants to settle after a good day of work and play, but she wants a working relationship with me.

I could be wrong, but having a couple of dogs who REALLY want a working type relationship would probably exhaust me.

Having the different breeds also emphasizes even more going forward in training that each human-dog relationship is different and requires a bit of tweaking on the approach of the training to get the best results.

Even about my babies though. I'll put a blog up soon with all the adoptees this year, but if you have an update for me about one of my old fosters, do pop it in to me. I would love to get some for Christmas :)

Best,
Emily

Thinking of Getting a Dog in the New Year -Here are Some Great Dogs Looking for Homes

Although I don't recommend getting a puppy until after the chaos of the Christmas holidays are over, if you or someone you know is looking to get a puppy or an adult dog in the new year, here are some great dogs in rescue looking for their homes.

Turtle Gardens Pups!
In January, two litters of puppies will be ready to come into foster and adoptive homes. A litter of rottie mixes (guess with Aussie Shepherd, as mum is only 50 pounds). They are well socialized with dogs and people. Just waiting for their forever families.

Colby-Jack is a boy from the rotti mix litter. He has sisters and brothers looking for homes too.

The second Turtle Gardens litter is a super affectionate PEOPLE LOVING sharpei x pittie litter, raised with other dogs so great dog social skills already. Fostering a few little puppies for TG over the last year or two I can tell you they have THE BEST dog social skills of any puppies I've seen. And I sure see A LOT of puppies! They might be kind of plain black dogs to look at, but these guys all lay at Yvette's feet and love to be loved.

Xavier is one of a litter of four, all looking for their forever homes. He promises once you go black you'll never go back.

 

Coming down on the bus run this weekend are some great adults looking for their forever homes too. If ever in question of who is available for adoption, check out the petfinder listings here: http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?shelterid=BC03 You can always e-mail Yvette @ turtlegardens@gmail.com too to see if anyone who isn't on petfinder yet might be your match. Usually there are 5-10 dogs that aren't on petfinder yet so a good way to check. Some young collie mixes, a bigger rottie mix, etc. From easy family pets to workaholics to 'projects', they have them all. Most TG dogs are reliably housetrained (Even the puppies. Dayo the 13 week old I had was almost flawlessly housetrained -of course with supervision). Neither Buckwheat or Barley (16 weeks) had an accident here EVER.

If you can't find who you are looking for locally have a check out of some of the great Taiwanese dogs looking for homes here in BC. (They are currently located in Taiwan)

This is Willie, a very good-looking but VERY ACTIVE teenage (1 year) Golden Retriever mix who needs someone to run him every day. He is very friendly (sometimes too friendly), but is a boisterious, confident guy. He is a happy, fun companion.
 Here is his petfinder: http://oceandogrescue.org/dog/willie

Willie is sure a good looking-boy!

Also check out May, a very affectionate medium-sized (20 ish pounds) 7-8 month old black dog with the face of a puggle! She is friendly to both people and dogs, as well as children! She is expected to be only about 30 pounds full grown. To me she looks like a puggle and a lab cross. Being a black dog she hopes she can find her home before she is an 'adult dog'. There are so many black dogs in Taiwan that have been in care for years and years without being selected to be adopted :( Here is May's petfinder: http://oceandogrescue.org/dog/may-0

 

 

Speaking of a dog that has been in foster care in Taiwan for years, if you are looking for a sweet older dog to join your family, have a look at Snow White:

Snow White is a 7 year old Formosan Mountain x Lab mix. She is 45 pounds, and although can be shy at first loves children (as you can see) and is a loyal, dog social girl. She is housebroken and quiet and loves to snuggle. She has been waiting for a few years in Taiwan waiting patiently for her forever home. But reality is, very few people want to adopt an older dog and her chances at an overseas adoption are becoming fewer and fewer. Older dogs make great family pets as they are steady, gentle and you can test their temperments much more readily than that of a younger dog. They are mature and can really settle into a great relationship early.

Even if you don't find your new pup on this page, please contact your local rescues to find the dog for you. It may take awhile to find who you are looking for, but even if you are after a puppy please do everything possible to find one in rescue.

Reality is, unless you need a true working dog with a pedigree to do the work you need it to do (herd sheep, protection work for police) you can get an equally great companion from rescue. And isn't that really what you want from your dog: a great companion.

Merry Christmas everyone. I am happy knowing there are many pooches celebrating a Christmas in a home that might not have been possible if not for rescue. Choose adoption as your option :)

Wrapping My Head Around a Very Big Topic

Man, in my dog training course and putting together curriculum to hopefully be teaching my own beginners and puppy classes in the new year, the hardest thing going has been this: figuring out which 'label' of dog-training I fit under.

I have been doing lots of reading on the scientific positive-only based models that reward for correct responses and ignore incorrect responses. Their belief is that lack of attention in and of itself is a punishment/consequence to a dog. I have been watching lots of videos with really good information and technique to creating bomb-proof behaviours out of puppies. However, coming from a world of rescue where very, very few are blank-slate puppies of 8-10 weeks key behaviours have already been rewarded in an act that they are self-fufilling. IE: The dog just likes to do the behaviour, and doesn't really mind if there's a lack of attention from their handler because of it. IE: The behaviour has been practiced and habitualized too much already to (in my opinion) take away based on a pure 'ignoring' approach. Of course they go on to say to interrupt behaviours, etc, and suffice to say in short form that I agree with almost all positive-based training.

We must mould, shape and mark behaviours in order to create a dog that learns and thinks. At the same time, I'm truly struggling with where respect comes in within a purely-positive model. How exactly can you tell a dog what they SHOULD NOT be doing if you only ever tell them how good they are?

I found this good analogy:
"And the problem with (positive-only training) is:… Imagine somebody trying to teach you to drive from Los Angeles to St. Louis … but they ONLY tell you when you’re going in the right direction, and they NEVER tell you when you’re going in the wrong direction.
Either you’re going to get completely lost, or it’s going to take you a VERY, VERY LONG TIME to get to St. Louis. Of course… you might have a lot of fun taking a long, long time… but if you’re trying to get home on time for Christmas dinner… forgettaboutit!~ Plus, when you train exclusively with positive training techniques… you will never end up with a dog that is 100% reliable in a “street smart/around town” environment.

I recommend using BOTH positive and negative motivation. The wise trainer will always adapt to the dog and respond with more or less positive or negative motivation in response to what the dog is giving him."

In my training I have been exposed to the use of pressure, a 'hands-less' form of correction that deals with the brain/hierachy of a pack. Dogs use pressure on each other all of the time, it is something that is ingrained in them. If you think of horsewhispering, it is very similiar. It is using body language to own space -it teaches dogs to be soft and does not involve physical force like leash corrections, etc. To a traditional 'positive' trainer, pressure is intimidation and therefore is punitive.

How though then, if you do not use any form of saying 'no, that's not what I want', do you gain reliability and respect. Should a dog be a machine when it comes to commands -no-, but I want to know that even under a tense environment, that my dog will still look for my guidance as their leader.

Only saying yes also creates a great possibility that the environment of giving only positive lets the dog do the bear minimum to earn their reward. Smart dogs that don't naturally want to be a follower catch on to this very fast -I saw first hand a little mini aussie who had gone through 12 intensive weeks of clicker-training who still had no respect for her handler-. The handler was doing everything the trainer asked, but being a good leader -in my opinion- is knowing when to give praise, when to withhold it, and when to disagree with behaviour via a pressure correction.

It also goes back to each individual dog in their motivation to 'be good', and what they will work for. Even in my own house it varies greatly.

For example, Beckett almost solely works for 'freedom': IE: off-leash priviledges. He couldn't care about food 9/10 (though will take anything if he doesn't have to do anything for it). His motivation then is negative motivation to begin with. In his mind, the leash is punitive. Freedom is his positive. He is not a sensitive dog, he has to know who is boss. If we had only ever applied positive with him he'd be running us. It goes back to being an aloof dog. If the only consequence was not having my attention -he wouldn't care at all.

For a consequence to be a consequence, it has to mean something to the dog shouldn't it?

Lemon will work for food, and love and she is overall quite a soft dog. She needs much more positive than negative to excell and to be honest it's very rare that she would need a correction -hands off or otherwise-. She is a dog who could be get away with a purely positive approach. It stems back to the 'consequence' of absolutely no attention being a true consequence for her. Stems back to motivation.

I go back to the same line:

For a consequence to be a consequence, it has to mean something to the INDIVIDUAL dog shouldn't it?

In a pack of dogs, a true alpha type dog applies their leadership when and where it is needed, and if you watch them they apply different force and timing to each situation.

When I start training, I want to train people to have their dogs work FOR THEM and be rewarded for working FOR THEM, and not just rewarded on correct 'behaviour' alone. To me, it isn't fair on any person or dog to ONLY give them 'the way' without showing them where they've gone wrong and getting them back on track.

But, whenever you are teaching something new, it should be POSITIVE and FUN! It is unfair to give correction if the dog doesn't know to perform the correct response to begin with.

My two cents. I love my dogs to pieces, but they are my dogs and I am responsible for their actions in our world. They are a gift to me, but they are not god's gift to the world and aren't perfect all the time. I will praise them when they succeed, I will set them up to succeed, but I will also steer them back on the path to success if they happen to decide to stray from it. Whether that makes me a bad trainer in the eyes of some, so be it.

If there's one thing two trainers can agree on, it's that the third trainer is doing something wrong.

In foster terms, Urchin is headed over to Vancouver tonight. He is going to visit a potential family but if they aren't a match for him he's being fostered in Vancouver while I'm away anyway. He's a cute little stinker and sure has come a long way in a few weeks.

This video is too long to upload directly to the blog, but if you want take a peek: http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=10151175681038671&set=vb.729918670&type=3&theater

In it I play a game with Urchin so that he allows his collar to be touched, and goes towards an outstretched hand. This is a great game to play with sensitive, shyer dogs as if they got lost somehow, they are more likely to come to a strange hand. It can also help with hand-shy dogs who have been been hurt in the past. Counter-conditioning for the win!

Name Origins

Just a quick blog on where my pups' names have come from.

Beckett came with his name. It's a good one, why change it! Besides, it's also the name of a famous author who I just so happened to be studying in my undergrad just before we adopted him. A very distinguished name for quite a distinguished dog :)

Once we decided to adopt Lemon back when she was still 'Aster' Jerrad and I drove out to Sooke sayings the most random things that jumped into our heads. I think we got talking about car terms when Jerrad was naming this car and that car. I said "Lemons" and then Jerrad said "Lemon" and then we looked at each other and went "That'll work." She's just a Lemon.

Although I had some names on the backburner for Jinks, after a few days I found her name. Originally I found Jinx, like a spell or hex but in thinking it over a little I remembered the word High Jinks, which means: boisterous or rambunctious carryings-on : carefree antics or horseplay :

Playful, often noisy and rowdy activity, usually involving mischievous pranks.

 

Seems a fitting name for a baby border collie!

 

So Jinks' full name is "High Jinks or Hijinks", but shortened to Jinks for every day use. Just like Lemon's full name is "Lemon Zinger" (after the tea, but also because she used to zoom or 'zing' all over the place). Beckett doesn't really have a full name but his 'pet' name is Beckett Shmeckett sometimes just shortened to "Shmeck". Jinks has been getting a pet name of Jinksie Doo or Jinksie Pie or Jinksie Sphinx. Lemon will always be "Zing Butt", the odd time I'll call her Shmemin (to go with Shmeckett).

 

I'd love to hear how some dogs you guys have known got their names. Good names are hard to come by. I love finding dogs with names that just suit them. There are just too many Maggies, Buddys, Chloes, Baileys and Sadies out there. They tend to be names for your average golden or lab in which case maybe they do suit as there are just so many of them and they all tend to look alike.

 

Some of my favourite names that have been through my foster doors:

Toast (she did look like a piece of Toast!)

Alvin (the 5 pound chihuahua lived up to his chipmunk name origins. And just as annoying too :P)

Dickory (although I didn't like it initially, it is so great to call from a distance and fun to say too.)

 

I had a friend growing up whose family dog was "Squish", a pekingnese dog with a squished face who always managed to get underfoot. Aptly named indeed. We have a beagle at daycare named Watson and a weiner dog named Python both that they seem to fit their names perfectly too.

 

To me, it isn't about the name itself, but the combination of dog, traits and the name. Any good tips for names? Would love to hear them.

 

 

Updates from the Foster Front

Urchin had a great homecheck, but unfortunately the family decided the adoption fee was too high for them. That's okay, onwards and upwards. I know adoption fees can be daunting but reality is if you can't afford the adoption fee ($300-$500), you wouldn't be able to do much in an emergency for your dog. My two cents. Maybe not fair, but to me it just means the right family has yet to show up.

Urchin will be hanging out in Vancouver for a couple weeks while we're gone, but I believe there's an application in Vancouver for him now too. We'll see. He will be welcome back at foster boot camp once we get back from vacation.

And a big shout out to Mike who offered to take Beckett in while we're away. He will hang out with a happy Miika (she was so shy/skittish when we first met her, and the change is amazing!) and crabby pants Panda -our fastest foster- who is a total daddy's girl.

Otherwise life is good. Jinks is turning into Beckett's dog, and Lemon is turning into my dog but that's okay. Jinks can definitely benefit from learning from the old man and to be honest I'd rather her learn from him than Lemon -she can be a bit of a jerk by times whereas Beckett doesn't have a mean bone in him.

I'm hoping to get some good video of Urchin tomorrow if it's not downpouring. He is growing like a weed and is building muscle quickly. He was a low-energy dog when he first got here and he's definitely at least a medium energy level dog now. It's possible he could be a medium-high dog when all is said and done.

Don't worry Urchin pup, sometimes it takes a little longer to find your people, but when you find them you'll never look back.

Snippets of Jinksie Doo's Life

Well, she's been here not quite two weeks and I couldn't be happier with her :) Her old foster mum taught her quite a bit already, and I've been busy keeping up the former training and doing some work with her myself. True to her heritage, she picks up things quickly! She's also miss popular at work, playing with anyone and everyone who can keep up with her. Mostly, she tires one dog out and the next one comes and plays with her. Her and Lemon play in the mornings, and she bugs Beckett into playing with her in the evenings. She sleeps nicely through the night, is about 95% housebroken, and doesn't mind hanging out at home with a chewy bone for a few hours.

She has earned off-leash priviledges on the acreage already, and has earned them on quieter trails. She can already call off some dogs, but typical puppy (and we've only had her two weeks), if she's playing with somebody, there's no calling her back. But we'll get there. Heck, she's ahead of schedule already but a lot.

Here is a video of miss Jinks doing some recall. This is approx 75-100 feet, and she'd only been practicing recalls like this for approx 10-15 minutes training time combined over a few previous sessions. (So, maybe 5 small sessions?)

Here's a little video of Jinks and Beckett out for a walk. (Lemon had been my demo dog in class an hour before and was quite adamant that she'd done her duty for the day. So she stayed home with Urchin who highly dislikes the rain.)

And because life wouldn't be complete without a good picture, here's baby Jinksie Doo on a crisp fall day:

Off to a homecheck with Urchin tonight. Fingers crossed he finds where he is supposed to be forever.

Emily + Crew out.