I'm Such a Sucker for a Cute Puppy Face

With Neela gone to her new home, I had steeled myself against another foster until TG run in a few weeks. We've got Floof and Riley, and come May 8th have a bunch of boarding. But of course, I see a cute puppy face, there's a flight two days from then, she's through quarantine and I still have two applicants very interested in having a home-check if a dog that fits them comes up. IE: Young, under a year, not going to get over 30 pounds, dog social and good for kids (one family with a seven year old, one with a ten year old). I flicked through many of the local rescues for a dog that would match, but couldn't find any without a behavioural problem of some sort. Petfinder is so tricky these days, since the multitude of dogs on it, aren't necessarily local to begin with.

Come with the fact that puppies honestly have a track record here of fostering for under two weeks, most of them falling in the one week and a couple day mark, regardless what rescue they're with. They also seem to get multiple apps quickly. Everyone seems to want a puppy, and although I could talk to them all day about adopting an older rescue, if people have their hearts set on a young dog, that's what they'll get no matter how much sense you try to talk into them.

Plus Riley has a good looking application now that someone in the rescue will homecheck hopefully sometime this week. So, it's not really like things should conflict too much. (That's the plan anyway)

So, Cinderella will arrive on the 17th and since there's an adoption in Victoria anyway -ironically enough, yet another leftover application for GG-, I don't have to do the ferry run. I have no doubt this little munchkin will be adopted before the end of May.

I was suckered in really good by this little face.

What a softie I am...
Puppies truly are my Achilles heel. I really ought to defend that heel a little more vigorously.

Rainy Day Adoption

The homecheck last night was a rocking success. Neela was very sweet and gentle with the kids, she instantly liked mum, she showed both the snuggly side of her, the slightly cautious side of her, and the really silly side of her. The family is great, with enough time devoted to dog without children around that I definitely wanted to match this family with an ideal family dog.

The kids and dogs combo has a bad rap, and indeed it needs lots of solid management, on both sides of the fence, but I think it's truly a good combination in a home that will put the required focus and training into the dog and KID(S)! (Which this home definitely will.) No matter how busy you are, you make room for the things you love and if done right, both the dog and kid benefit from the relationship.

So they were approved to adopt, with the condition that they would have to meet any dog in person to see the match with the kids before an official adoption would be made. IE: No dog would be sent overly directly from Taiwan for them. They will also sign up for some obedience classes, to make sure to start off on the right foot.

So, I get an e-mail back saying they would like to adopt Neela. I kind of saw it coming from the homecheck, even though they wanted to be pre-approved. But they are a nice, smart family who values the temperament of the dog over the color, so despite the fact that they fell in love with GG's looks, they know a good match when they see one.

Yay! So Neela will be going home tonight. They're one of those families that I ask "When would you like to pick her up?" and they say "Are you home now? I'll come right away!"

Here's a shot from the homecheck:

Neela says: "I like you very much :)"

 I'm very happy GG could not just bring her family together, but helped Neela find her family too!

Thanks GG! I will have my own toys soon and stop stealing Jinks'.

On the bright side, despite the hail and crazy weather out this way, Jinks has decided to be a peaceable chewer today, even though she only got half an hour of exercise. Thank you knuckle bone! Also, I'm glad she's growing up. Every day just a little more chill to live with. And I mean a REALLY little bit.

Riley

Riley is a good boy, I haven't seen any of the crankiness that his previous family saw, though I make sure he gets plenty of quality rest away from the rest of the gang. I can see how he could get cranky. He's the type of dog who likes to find a secluded spot and have "me" time when he is tired, but is glued to your side when he is awake. Can you blame the poor guy for wanting to sleep in peace and quiet? I sure hope whoever adopts him will continue with the crate. Riley really enjoys his crate with the big comfy pillow. It is his escape, where he can completely turn off the world, where he doesn't have to worry if someone is going to come poke him, prod him, pull his ears, etc. 

Since Riley is quite slim and has very runny poo we're changing his food up today, so hopefully he will be able to put on a bit of weight. He is about 60 pounds and should be at least 65, maybe closer to 70? (A very fit 70, he's almost all muscle). I'm never quite sure with these bigger guys. Regardless, he needs a layer of fat over his scrawny teenage frame.

He is very active, will need about 2 hours of exercise a day. He is a "quality" time dog, in the sense that he is a happy camper to be away for up to 8 hours a day as long as he gets two to three hours of focused time on him. He jogs well, he plays fetch phenomenally, he has great recall and really good dog social skills, though is no wimp and will definitely not be the submissive recipient if someone wants to beat him up. That's actually a good thing. Most people aren't pushovers either! He starts nothing, gives clear signals on his boundaries. He hasn't seem phased by the barn cats, so I think he could live with a dog-savvy cat.  He would suit a single person, especially a single man to a tee. But really, he would suit any environment that doesn't have children in the home, or children over, or if there are visiting children that Riley will have his crate to retreat to.

Here are some shots of Riley from our fetch walk yesterday. The little guys go on their little walk with Jerrad before I get home from work and then we take these two our for some serious ball time.

Fending off the Collie

Faithful retriever.

Launch! (Dock Diving Prospect?)

Tongue in face.

In Profile

Learning to Wait before I Throw

Mid-Air Catch

Riley's Wish-List

• Two hours of good exercise a day, preferably off-leash (I've got good recall I promise)
• Someone to throw my ball for me, over and over again!
• Someone that will put their focus into me, so that I am their baby.
• No younger children in my home, though I promise I am nice to kids outside the home.
• I need a high quality diet without poultry or grain since I have a sensitive stomach.
• I would love to do any training that you would love to do. I have good commands but could use a little more in the manners department my foster mum says. (What, I love her so much I just have to jump on her at times). I would excel in agility, rally-o, maybe even dock diving, even if you want to do it just for fun! I will have fun with anything you have fun with. 

Riley is house-trained, crate-trained and fine at home for up to eight hours a day. He is intensely loyal and lots of fun. He is looking for his best friend, someone who will give him love, but also give him space. He requires a no-kid home.

We have a homecheck tonight for Neela, one of GG's left over apps, so we'll see how that goes. She is doing really well, coming out of her shell lots. She likes other people more than she likes me (I have rules, it sucks). She is not used to people calling the shots. 

For now, I'm enjoying snuggling my Floof. He better be adopted soon. He's getting much too comfortable here. Starting to think he belongs here... 

THAT is when it gets hard to let them go, once they have the idea that they're staying. 

Please Floof, get an application soon or they'll have to rip you out of my hands.

Emily Out

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.

A Busy World

Whenever I promise myself or Jerrad something fate always manages to intervene to slap that promise down from it's little cloud. Such it is with the "two foster" promise. With the TG dogs taken care of, and no one that really matched our "bill" ready for foster this time around, we thought we might take a little break, enjoy Floof, etc. Nope.

Two days before the bus run a client at our daycare dropped a bombshell that she needed to rehome her really nice, socially appropriate, off-leashable chocolate lab mix. He was untrustworthy with the children at the home, especially when tired (would start to guard space). He's nipped and she doesn't want it to escalate to more than that, which is what seemed to be happening over the last month and a half. He is excellent with children in public, but he is not safe around them in a home. He needs a home where kids are not going to be indoors with him. Poor guy, he was tossed out once before because three young children took all his parents time so they didn't train him or do anything with him. He probably learnt that in order to get the annoying kids to go away, nipping worked. And now, though I understand for safety reasons more than anything, he is booted again. I've promised, #3 is the final home. No one will let Riley down again!

Regardless, he is a fantastic companion. He is awesome off-leash with great recall. He is house-trained and crate-trained and although he comes to daycare twice a week, he stayed home 7-8 hours by himself the other days of the week. So instead of having him sent to the SPCA, I agreed to take him on. (Mostly because our local SPCA has a really shitty problem of placing dogs in inappropriately screened homes -very frustrating! I will not have him placed with children again.) He will be backed by Vancouver Island Dogs Society, who I've worked with in the past.

Handsome Riley. He's a really good looking, nice dog. Highly loyal. Typical lab.

And of course, the day before Riley's mum laid the bombshell, I was asked if I had room for another Taiwanese dog, especially because GG has four or five left over applications, two of which are really interested in adopting a dog similar in temperament as GG. So, Neela was set to go. Neela basically looks like a miniature Malinois Shepherd. She is eleven months and about 23 pounds. So far she has been quite shy, almost fearful, though apparently wasn't so in Taiwan. I'm hoping giving her lots of rest over the next few days will help alleviate the stress from the long flight.  All I know is that GG was a tidbit shy, but she was very sweet and stayed shy for all of a minute. So far, that isn't the personality I see in Neela. I see a much more cautious, bordering on fearful dog. So, she's here at least a week before I can even start networking her. I have to know who the dog is before I can have the best chance of making the perfect match for them. Some dogs are ready for their home sooner than others.

---After these three gets homes, it will be a little break from fostering for a few weeks.

Luckily Riley might have some interest already and you never know. One of those apps for GG might consider Neela anyway. Gotta hunker down for a few days and just wait things out.

Oh, and Floof is off for his dental check up today. He's a good little dude, though is still a bugger with the house training. I'm not sure he'll ever be a dog that is reliably housebroken. Still very much a puppy, he needs lots of chew toys. Hopefully the fact that he is super cute makes up for the annoying parts.

Will get pictures of Neela shortly.
Emily Out

The Cutest Possible Thing You Will See All Day

---I think he knows who saved his life :) Without Lemon, this little fluffball of love and happiness wouldn't have the opportunity to bring all that joy to a new family. Snuggle on little one.

Enjoying the Peace

Yesterday I had the day off from work, and somehow managed not to have a lick of required homework for my Master's degree either. Jinks burnt/tore her pads on the hot cement since it's been so warm out over the weekend, so she's on house arrest for a few days to not damage them further. Playing paranoid mum. No infections, limps or further injuries here!

I'm cleaning her pads every night and they look good, but better safe than sorry. Completely healed before we start the crazy stuff!

Otherwise, we've been enjoying the little fluffy man. He's going in sometime this week to have his teeth checked out. He's a good guy, I don't mind having him for awhile. When you get used to have 2 week foster dogs for the longest time, it starts to feel funny having them past that though!

Here are some pictures of "Floof" (that's what we call him and what he seems to answer to. For the record I won't remember in a year that his real name is Coleman).

Getting into a Mud Puddle

Could you picture a happier face!

Happy guy, needs to put on a little weight yet.

With a Californian foster comes the part of "importing" fostering I try to get away from: the pleas for more help, the pressure to do more, save more, move for "QUANTITY over QUALITY". Just because I could shove 12 little chi mixes in here to foster doesn't mean I will.

I try to stay out of the politics and concentrate on the dogs physically living with me and how I can serve them the best on their way to a new home. Regardless, all the contact from rescue people wanting help with the California situation makes me miss my solitary bubble I've got going on. As of lately there are only two or three of us fostering for TG on the island and we keep to ourselves (two of us are trainers, one an experienced foster home), we usually network on our own. We act as one woman shows with the backdrop of TG and the real one-woman show Yvette at base. For Ocean Dog Rescue, I am literally the only one on the island, so I screen my own adopters, check through my own applications, etc. It's only Jerrad and I like it that way. I pick my own and don't get pressured into things. For Turtle Gardens them enough to send me good dogs within our parameters, for Taiwanese dogs I get videos, pictures, bios, more information that I would ever need, and get to pick out of dozens of dogs who comes next. The odd one I'll get that has been waiting in Vancouver months with no interest. We do things our own way and focus on what really matters: the dogs and finding their families.

It's peaceful dealing with dogs and not people. It's the people that make rescue tricky.

But what's not tricky... a good run at the park :)

For some smiles, some pictures of the gang at the park before Jinks hurt herself.

Jinker Stinker

Coleman Playing with the Dog that Ultimately Saved his Life.

The Lemon

Happy after a run in the Park (Jinks just needs to be dramatical)