Beach and Off-Leash

It is unbelieveably grey out today, so I bailed on our usual playground run. The school just five minutes from the house has the most amazing sports fields to play in now that school is out, but three soaking wet dogs just isn't my idea of fun. Luckily, everyone is still tired from the fun we had yesterday.
It was Vudu's first time visiting the beach yesterday, and since tide had just gone out, there were numerous teeny tiny crabs skittering along the sand. That got our little black guy all excited and Jerrad too. It was like watching ten year olds.

A picture of Jerrad's crab.

Everyone took the beach in stride:

Curly tail and pointy ears. Beach is sweet!

The boys playing with the crabs.

Anybody else think they kind of resemble each other?
Like if Jerrad was a dog, he'd look like Vudu?

Lemon posing for me.

Beckett trudging along.

The dogs were extra spoiled yetserday, as although the beach run tired them out for awhile, at about 8pm suddenly everybody became nutty. I don't mind play inside -actually, I encourage learning to play appropriately inside-, but after almost an hour of roughhousing with no end in sight, it was time to head to the school. We were a little hesitant about giving Vudu some off-leash time since he's been with us only a week now, but I wasn't going to burn off his steam just walking him. He wanted a run. So, I dropped the leash!

He did very well. He has a switch for a recall. He's either completely on and focused and running full tilt towards you like a crazy dog, or he doesn't realize you've called him/has better things to do. Over all though, he won't be too hard to be reliable off-leash, at least if his family starts off in places with lower levels of stimulation. We're lucky in that Beckett and Lemon have generally good recall, and he usually wants to follow them around. On his own, I don't know if he'd recall too well until he got a lot of training in him. Hard to say.

We also found a tennis court, which no one seems to use. So, what the heck, it's a completely fenced in area, good to know for down the road! It's got at least fifteen high feet chain-link too, so a great place to start off-leashing. Providing it stays empty. Maybe I should take up tennis? Jerrad and I have talked about getting more active, and you know, having the odd night a week without a bunch of dogs kicking around :P

Here is Vudu playing his version of tennis on the court:

After about ten minutes of zoomies and twenty minutes of ball, and the five minute walk each way, Vudu got home and promptly put himself to bed.

For now, some pictures from the schoolgrounds.

Pooped after about ten minutes of running around.

Three tired dogs in a soccer field.

It was also funny to watch Lemon get so many zoomies. Usually she gets one good bought for a few minutes and races until she collapses and is good for the night. With Vudu to chase her, she'll go MUCH longer. She'll tell him off when he gets too rough with her though. I don't think he'd like a 'real' chihuahua sibling, but because Lemon thinks she's a miniature husky, they get along really well. Vudu might pester a small dog without a big attitude.

We're off to a homecheck today. Actually for a home that was interested in Buckwheat and Barley, but mostly they're just looking for a really good fit for them. I'll be showing them Vudu, and there's a couple of others at TG I'll probably talk about too if Vudu doesn't float their boat. He's the right energy match for them, but when you're after a golden retriever mix, a 25 pound black dog with a curly tail might not be what you're looking for :P We shall see!

Onyx Vudu -New TG Foster

First off, thank you to everyone for the support regarding the Pet-a-Palooza. Unfortunately, when I inquired, all the booths were already booked! I think I will take an hour or two and go scope it out though :) TG has been put on a list for next year so they will contact me about the event and see if we want a booth. I have to be honest, I'm kind of relieved. Speaking to the public is not my strongest suit. When it's about dogs, I'm a bit better, but I don't do crowds well.

Now, onto a more interesting topic. A foster!

He's been tagging along with me for a week and I just haven't had the time to do a real write-up on him. Meet Onyx Vudu.

Why does he have two names you ask? Well, cause we couldn't pick just one I think. I had named him Vudu before he came to us, and when he got here, he looked like an Onyx. For the most part we're calling him Vudu, or 'little black dog'. Sometimes the odd 'Black Magic' slips out (which Onyx is another word for black, and Voodoo is a type of magic.) It's like translating him name a bit :P Luckily, he responds to almost everything you call him.

Onyx Vudu is a 7 month old and about 25 pounds. He'll probably hit 30 but he has really small paws for how big he is currently, so he might not even grow any more.  He possibly Shiba Inu mix, but more probably, a Finnish Spitz mix. Here is a pic of a Finnish Spitz as I haven't come across one in person.

Here is a body shot of Onyx Vudu

Granted, this was after daycare, so he is wiped! Usually his ears stand up pretty like in the first photo of him, and his tail curls up in a perfect cricle. He also resembles a little bit of a Karelian Bear Dog -almost exactly like Miika! He is carema shy, and black, so getting good pictures is difficult. Hopefully today we'll get a few good ones out at the lake.

Overall, Onyx Vudu is an AWESOME boy. He has shown himself to be low-medium energy, though obviously being a puppy still has puppy moments. He is overly dog social, has ignored the barn cats and chickens, has only had one accident (my fault, didn't monitor the gigantic water dish), and is nicely crate-trained. Besides the old foggies, he's the only foster I've had who puts himself to bed. Nine pm comes around and he diligently trots into his crate. Sure beats the ones you have to coax into bedtime!

Sometimes we have to drag him out of bed for his 6:30am pee. He has been okay left alone (crated, he'll be trustworthy lose in a month or so once he stops the chewing stage) for 2-3 hours, he is perfect at daycare -he LOVES daycare.

He has some commands down already. He can sit, shake, down, touch. Recall is hit and miss, but I think that's because he's getting used to a new name and new people. He walks well on a leash providing it's leash-time with rules. He will pull if he can get away with it. Overall, he's super easy to redirect and get eye contact out of. He'll play dumb for the first few corrections, but falls into routine quickly. There's a small stubborn streak in there somewhere but really eager to please guy.

Only point of possible concern so far are that he will bark his silly little head off at big wildlife like deer -which we get lots of on our property-. He hasn't shown any prey drive towards small critters, but I think he would go after big wildlife if he could. That makes me wonder if there is indeed some Karelian in there somewhere, as that's a total spitz/karelian type behaviour. They are big game hunters, and will ignore the small game most of the time. He would make a great dog to camp with though as he will definitely alert you to anything coming to get you :)

He is also an alert barker with people at the door. We've been practicing that instead of barking at the door, when someone comes  he must go sit on his dog bed until invited to come visit. He's doing well -MUCH better than bratty Lemon-, but it's a command his new home will want to maintain unless they want their visitors barked at.

After a week, I feel his ideal home will be with someone that can be with him most of the time as I believe he will get lonely quickly with someone gone a full work-day. Someone that has a current playful dog already would be a great, as Onyx Vudu loves to wrestle and play chase games and he plays well with all sizes of dogs. He could be an only dog too, as long as his people clock some serious dog park hours and/or consider daycare once or twice a week for him to burn some playing energy out. He will need about an hour exercise a day, plus a couple of play sessions and someone who will continue and maintain his training. Just because he is an easy and well-rounded boy does not mean he can be let off scott-free. His training definitely isn't over yet!

Some more pictures of him :)

Beckett finds the many uses of foster siblings. Use #21 -good pillows.

Crew having a nap/Lemon finally looking like a little dog!

Beckett and Vudu playing. Thankfully only Beckett talks while he plays.
Vudu only does a 'come get me' bark.

Good looking little man.

More to come on him soon.
Emily Out

Victoria Pet-a-Palooza

On August 12, there will be a fantastic rescue event in Victoria, right in one of the best and busiest off-leash dog parks -Dallas Road- we have. I'm wondering if we might be able to get Turtle Gardens involved. I would need some help -some adopters with their TG dogs, someone that wants to sit with me at a table. Oh and I guess we'll need a table too! Most importantly though, we'll need some dogs! People who love to talk are encouraged, as I can be a bit of a wall-flower. Cute dogs will help me though :)

Hopefully we can get a couple of adoptables out, but this far away time-wise, I'm not sure who will still be in foster care! If anyone wanted to come over from the mainland with their foster, that would be awesome too. I think I need to get the word out to the co-ordinators if we want to be involved, but it would be a fantastic resource to hit up so many dog people and let them know of us.

There will be no actual adoptions at the event, but we are allowed to bring an example of our critera for adoption and application form. Think of this as a big daddy of Tisol. This will be most likely over 4,000 people.

I'm thinking even if we had 8 dogs total -fosters included- that would be a good amount to keep civilized but look full :) Let me know if you'd like to help!

For more information on the event, you can find it here: http://www.jlasociety.com/#!events

Good News for Cindy

Cindy is due for arrival from Taiwan tomorrow, but she has a few different interested family (yet no official applications) in her on the mainland already, so she's going to go to a temporary Vancouver foster home so they can introduce her to possible new homes! I'm a little sad I most likely won't be fostering her -I'm here if she needs me-, but it's easiest on a dog to not move around more than they have to.

As a foster mum, it's never about me, but what's best for the dog. Still, I admit I'm a little mopey she probably won't be landing here. This blog will become pretty boring over the next few weeks until the next TG bus run, which is sloted for the end of the month. I'm a week in fosterless and a little bored to be perfectly honest -my own two dogs are amazing dogs, but they are... well, boring. Boring is good for day-to-day live-with-you-forever-ness, but not for keeping me occupied. Also, I will have no excuses not to get the cleaning done :P

So, I will try to focus on my writing, perhaps catch up with some old fosters, try my hardest to stay away from faces calling to me, and hopefully make a good dent on an online French course I started this month.

I've always wanted to catch up with some old fosters though and take some pictures of their new lives. If any of my previous adopters is reading this and wants to catch up, let me know. You will keep me occupied until my next incomings.

For now, here is Cindy, getting ready to come to Canada!
I'm trying not to be selfish and think none of the interested parties will want her ;)

Picture Update: Barley now Mika

Mika is getting settled :) You know where Kobi is, she is!

Also, it's sometimes a very small world. Kobi and Mika's vet is Emily Dickson, who adopted Tucker from me about a year and a half ago now. Too cool! One day I won't be able to go to a dog park without bumping into someone or some dog I know.

Feeling kind of weird being fosterless, but I should try to enjoy it while it lasts.

Tough Life

Looks like Buckwheat (now Skye) has life really rough!

Nap on the Porch

Chew time with Sister Tegan

Cuddling with his Big Sister

And a quick update from Barley (now Mika).

Mika's doing very well although does not like it at all when her dad takes her brother (Kobi) for some 'special first dog time' and will whine and howl by herself. She is slowly learning she is okay being an only dog for brief periods of time, but loving her hikes, snuggles and play times. It'll take a little bit for all of us to adjust to having a baby in the family, but she is a perfect balanced energy for our family.

Oh the joys of puppy. No matter how good they are... they are still a puppy! The update also confirms my suspicion that she would have drove some poor family absolutely bonkers if she would have been adopted as an only dog. Some dogs are just not equip to handle being 'the one and only' (just like some of them really want to be the one and only!) Barley/Mika is a dog's dog -it's in her wiring.

Cindy coming soon. A couple of weeks until the next TG bus run, but most likely someone(s) there too. I'm never empty for long ;)

Puppies Find their Matches

It's a quiet holiday Monday. Yesterday both pups found their forever homes :)

It was obvious when Tegan -TG alumni- and Buckwheat met at our playdate, that they were kindred spirits. They're both submissive, playful, somewhat chicken type dogs.

They played all through the signing of papers. Their parents will have their hands full with two 'puppies', but at least they have each other to chase around the acreage.

Before we went to sign papers for Buckwheat, we went for another meet+greet with a family I hike with quite frequently (we have a big group walk every two weeks for daycare. About 20 dogs off-leash in the woods. It's a blast). Their dog Kobi is a flat-coated retriever mix, serious dog who likes good manners. Social, but doesn't put up with shenanigans. Think a little bit like a military man. Very orderly!

When Kobi met Barley, they gave each other a quick sniff, mutually decided they were each okay. I left her with them for a walk and such as I went to sign papers. When I came back, Barley was hanging out right beside Kobi. He had apparently lead her around the house and she diligently followed. It was obvious looking at the two dogs they were spitting images of each other. Kobi must have been exactly like Barley as a puppy!

I was expecting that they would have to think it over, however it was obvious to all, this was exactly the pup for Kobi and Barley truly wants to be in a home with another dog to follow around. Papers were signed. Barley didn't even come bid me farewell -she just clung to her new brother's side as if she was saying 'see you later, I'll be fine thanks.' Such a serious, no-nonense girl.

The one thing I feel horrible about is all the applicants for Barley and Buckwheat that weren't chosen. There were so many good applications -especially for Barley-, and sometimes I wish I could clone dogs and place them multiple places. There are dogs that get floods of applications, and dogs that stay in rescue for months or sometimes years with no interest. I sincerely wish all the applicants of Buckwheat and Barley much success in finding their new family members through rescue -regardless Turtle Gardens or not. I truly believe dogs have a knack of picking their own home, and that does not mean whatsoever that any other homes that applied weren't also amazing. These dogs were so lucky to have so many great homes willing to open their lives to them.

Also, as a side note, Cindy -a golden retriever adult female, guessed at 3-5 years old- will be coming to foster with me on the 6th. She is with a different rescue than Turtle Gardens, so if any applicants would like to apply for her, you can apply with Ocean Dog Rescue.

Here is a link:
http://odr.john-son.ca/adoption

Providing she isn't scooped up before she comes to foster care, pictures, updates and video of her will be posted here.

Here's a shot of Barley on her last night here. Usually she's completely pushed up to Beckett, but she managed to flop over so for pretty much the first time, there wasn't another dog in her pictures. Well, if I cut off her butt just a little bit so you can't see Beckett's butt. I betcha she's all cuddled up with Kobi today. Family that sleeps together stays togheter :)