Insight

Fostering for us has always been a feel-good process. It keeps our dogs social, and it up the mental alertness of the older guy. Jinks learns to share with everyone and not just her family, and usually has someone who will play with her without getting annoyed. It has other benefits of course, mostly to do with the fact that when we have fosters, we don't go anywhere and spend money! But what it comes down to is: a few weeks to help a dog find their forever home.

The unfortunate flip side of the coin is: that dog has to be given up to do that.

With Riley, it's the first time I've seen the flip side of the coin in person -I know of many, many people that have given up their dogs :(- but to see it in person is heartbreaking. It makes me angry, sad, confused and makes me wonder all the more about placing dogs in homes. Have I made the right moves, will they always be forever homes?

Riley is doing awesome here. He is going to daycare with me and Jinks half days, and then sleeps the other half of the day in his crate (about 5 hours) to keep him used to staying by himself for at least a few hours in the day -he was used to 8 hours three times a week at home and two days of daycare, so he has no fuss, like Jinks he actually quite likes his quiet time. Then we go for a long walk/fetch session at night. He is a chuck-it master, though Jinks is much faster than he is. She misjudges where the ball is quite often though and usually goes sailing right by it, so Riley has some chance! They are a funny pair, good for each other in a lot of ways.

Neela is getting over her jetlag slowly but surely. Though she hasn't really asked for any attention from us here -she is content to lie in the corner most of the time-, we took her for a walk around the smaller section of lake (3km) with Beckett, Lemon and Floof and she wasn't shy at all, she actively went close to other people to check them out. Good with all the dogs. Maybe she's just a Beckett type personality -not an attention seeker. She did quite like two little girls we passed on the trail, so there's hope for the two families that are interested in her!

Here are some Neela pictures:

Face, still a little worried.

Malinois in Miniature

Side shot.

Quite the attractive little beastie.

Floof went to see the vet, had a second booster shot, checked on the teeth which aren't the greatest but not bad enough to warrant getting them done. His adopter will need to brush his teeth daily for awhile. Actually not a bad thing to do with little dogs daily anyway. Teeth issues are usually their downfall in health.

Apparently he was a shy, skitty little dude while he was out and about with June, but bring him back to the farm and he's typical Floof, running full tilt happy with his foster family. It's possible he will really benefit from a confident, easy-going dog in the home. Lemon loves everybody to a fault, -her greatest weakness is an available lap-, so the shy ones tend to learn a lot from her.

Three great dogs just waiting for their forever homes to come along, to love them through their weaknesses, take pride in their strengths and of course laugh for their silly antics too.