The Blog got Lost, but the Dogs Didn't

It's been a rough few weeks. Some days we feel normal, some days it is hard to get going. Working and living a dog-life I need to make sure I get an hour or two out of every day to sit with just one dog (or no dogs) and breathe a little. I'm not burnt-out, but I could get there quick without that hour or two a day to pretend I'm a normal twenty-something who gets home from work and watches some stupid girly TV show. (More some Disney movie for me).

In nutshells. Joyce was adopted to a lovely family here in Victoria, two houses away from the beach! She is one loved pooch already and they are super happy to have found her. I love matchmaking. Stan, Yvette, the Taiwanese rescuers, they deal mostly with the shitty end of rescue. I'm fortunately enough that I get to bring dogs to their forever homes, or I get to home-check, seeing a match start to unfold in front of my eyes. And I get to do a lot of it. Feel-good work :)

Joyce & New Family

We also had Zin, a little border collie mix (she was only 20 pounds, not going to get bigger than 30). A funny, busy, clown of a dog who didn't exhibit any "border collie" in her. So who knows what she was. She has since been adopted by my co-worker. I was teased that I would foster-fail her, but nah, I DEFINITELY don't need another young collie, and I most assuredly don't need one that doesn't even act like a border collie. Two young dogs are enough for me right now.

Zin @ the airport

Zin @ new home

Zin Running in the Park

Last weekend we did the Victoria bus run for Turtle Gardens, bringing 8 dogs into foster homes on the island. We brought: Wendy, Ashley, Piper, Pepper, Brodie, Morry, Django & Rhodes.

Puppies on a walk with their two foster mums.

Wendy and Piper have since been adopted. :) Wendy was an adorable, friendly, independent girl, and Piper a higher-energy diva. They have gone together and will be Pet Store embassadogs.

Ashley is in foster here in Victoria. She is a very-dog friendly, but very people-shy pup who will likely weigh 55-70 pounds full grown. She'll need a patient home willing to work slowly on bringing her out of her shell.

Ashley's an Avid Hiker too!

Brodie is a senior lab mix, the sweetest fellow you will meet. Loves to play short games of ball, and loves to soak up the sun outside. He might be older, but he so deserves somewhere to hang his hat and retire. He is maybe 55 pounds of gentleman.

Brodie from Foster Home

Morry is a sweet, tidbit shy maltese mix who has raised a litter of puppies. She is quiet, low-energy and would really just like a lap to snuggle on most of the time. She would make a great senior's dog, but because of her grooming needs, will need frequent spa days. She needs very little exercise a day.

Sweet Morry from Foster Home

Pepper is an active, animated Lab x Pitbull mix puppy (5-6 months) who likes to play fetch. She plays well with dogs she knows, but at times can be standoffish in her introductions to new dogs. Because she is likely a pittie mix, she needs someone dog-savvy, and/or willing to do lots of training with her in order for her to be the best dog she can be. She has good off-leash skills already and likes to stick by her person.

Pepper doing well off-leash in her foster home.

Rhodes is in foster care, but as of yet I haven't gotten a good photo update. He is working through some separation anxiety, but is very smart and loyal.

And then Django is in foster care with us. He is a large, 60 pound fluffy Lab x Karelian Bear dog mix who is super dog and people social. Someone has taught him to walk fairly nicely on a leash. He is medium energy, only needs about an hour of exercise a day. He likes to play, but settles nicely. Fantastic with kids. Inside he likes to follow you around, outside he is very independent. Housetrained, and okay in a crate, but also okay left loose in the house for a few hours. I have the feeling because he is bigger and black he might be here awhile, which is a real shame, since he's really an ideal, ready-made family dog.

And in the end, an update picture of Champ, who kept his name:

We have a couple of home-checks upcoming this week and a meet + greet for Sprout the puggle sometime soon as well (she's spent way too long in foster). For today, it's my Monday off, so some training with Shane, a leisurely walk, and some catching up with e-mails/cleaning/etc.

Beckett, Adopted May 2008 - Jan 11th 2014

Jerrad thought to hang your collar -complete with all the jingling tags-, but we decided to give it to Shane. After all, you would be awfully bored hanging up on a wall or on a peg. May you walk where he walks and guide him. He has huge paws to fill.

I'm sure there are important things for you to do still, as you did here. You will be deeply missed. Be at peace, my dear old friend. You have more than earned it.

Foster Party Postponed

I forget if I posted Beckett's Foster Party on the blog or not, or if I e-mailed adopters individually.

Please note that Beckett's Foster Party -scheduled for this Saturday @ 3:00pm- has been postponed due to Beckett's health. Hopefully we can have a get together sometime soon, perhaps when it's warmer out.

Sweet Boy Shane

6 Weeks Old

Looking at the baby picture I barely recognize my now 28 pound snuggle bum. Shane is over 5 months now, and looking at starting his agility career this upcoming Sunday with puppy class. Jerrad is going to take him through his beginners classes :)

He's stopped is monstrous growth spurt that I thought would have me a 65+ pound dog, and seems like he should finish under 45. Much better!

Shane is by far the laziest border collie puppy -and perhaps even one of the most lazy puppies- I have had the pleasure of having in my home. Now don't get me wrong, he's more than happy to go for a two hour hike, but inside the house he is a total couch potato. He's momma's little snuggle bum.

He also MUST snuggle whoever is around.

Shane in the middle of the dog pile.
"This is my family and I wuv them."

Comfy dogs. Bums are the best pillows.

Shane is also most upset if a foster dog does not want to snuggle him. We have a new foster Joyce (update with pictures tomorrow) who is very dog social, but not "cuddly". Oh, he is a very sad puppy that she does not want to snuggle him. Shane's so snuggly that if you ask him sit or down and he knows there isn't food, he will sit or down on your feet or right beside you and lean his WHOLE body into you while he does his command. He very rarely lays down away from anyone else. Not that he's needy a he's quite fine with his crate time, just that he's a TOTAL lover. He will snuggle you all day if you want to.

Jinks is snuggly only if she gets a whack load of ball time and even then it's a limited time deal. On the bright side, though I didn't get a whacky collie like I thought I would, I got a perfect little snuggle bum who is the light of my life.

Foster updates soon, I just needed to brag about my little man. His grandma calls him "the baby". No matter how big he gets, I think he's always going to be the baby.

Jinks is "Stinky Jinks", affectionately just "Stinky"
Shane is "Sweet Boy Shane"

It's funny, Shane's previous name in rescue was Romeo. I think he lives up to it :)

Emily Out

Sunday Update

Sunday meaning the dog and not the date, although I do think she went home on a Sunday. This update came on a Tuesday.

Sunday, at airport before she came to foster with me.
 

Sunday with her new family on their boat!

Sunday's family writes:

Sunday is fantastic! We couldn't have wished for a better puppy!!!

Thank you so much for all the work that you and your organization do for dogs like
Sunday.

She has settled into our family seamlessly. She is so clever, completing two
training courses as the instructor's favorite :)

She is amazingly well socialized and loves our daily plays with the neighborhood
dogs at the park.

Her favorite thing, I think, is diving into the lake to fetch a stick. And boy can
she swim!

Thank you again, more than we can express, for this amazing dog! She is a treasure
to our family.

Best wishes for the New Year


----Makes me so happy. All a foster mum wants for her fur-kids is them to be loved and cherished, to be the best that they can be.

Champ went to get neutered today and I missed the little dickens a lot more than I thought I would. He has a really infectious nature, providing you have a good sense of humour and some expectations from him (or else he can be plain annoying). He tried to jump and play tug with every piece of laundry I was trying to fold last night.

Sometimes I get that feeling I think lots of first time foster parents get. That sense of love for a dog and that they make you smile and that you can see yourself with them until they're old. But, take a step back and realize even though I love them, I could never give them all that I would want to. I've got two young sporting dogs as it is. Having another young dog wouldn't be fair to them, me or the current full-time young black and white creatures.

So, I will look forward to him going home and the wonderful update I will get from his family sometime in the future and know, it was better for me to stay strong and let him go, I helped create a family. That is a very special thing and it is my favorite part of rescue, even though sometimes it is hard to say goodbye.

2013 In Review

Well, another year of fostering comes to a close. It's been an eventful year. We've had 28 dogs come into the foster fold, 16 from British Columbia, 10 from Taiwan, and 2 token dogs from California (we rescued Coleman/Floof who even though he was Californian and I told myself not to go down that road again looked too much like Lemon. The little friend he was found with was euthanized. Duke hitched a ride with him after his pending family realized he was 2-3x the size he was supposed to be.)

We had A LOT of quick fosters this year, and dogs that didn't get posted on the networking sites they had homes lined up before they came, just pending the week of review in a foster home, and meet + greet.

Snapped up before we had a chance to heavily network/ get applications in:

• Zipper (adopted by Meshum, who was supposed to only be cat-testing him!)
• Katrinka (although we posted her that day, she went to a training program and was applied for that night!)
• Sunshine (golden retriever, networked through a friend, put application in same day as arrival)
• Lexie (pre-approved adoption, to my good friends Sarah and Tyler)
• Sunday (pre-approved for adoption. The original dog applied for -Cinderella- wasn't an ideal match. But we found one. Sunday stayed all of four days.)
• Lacy (had an application before she arrived, though needed to be approved)
• Polly (pre-approved, needed meet + greet to confirm due to child in the home.)
• Neela (a leftover pre-approved application brought Neela over, hoping she would be the fit.)
• Heli (pre-approved repeat TG adopter, brought to foster to screen with other dog in home)
• Duke (although his first home had to bail because he was bigger than what they realized/too big for strata I got a message from previous foster Suzie's family looking for an outgoing male. Guess what, I just got one! No need to network :) )
• Do-A (Do-A was very special in that I had a senior couple come to me looking for a middle-aged lab. I took the application and found Do-A, who turned out to be a perfect match).

Most of the other dogs had multiple applications. Coleman stayed the longest although we aren't quite sure why. But that is the mystery of the foster home. Sometimes the dogs you think will get multiple apps wait for awhile but get a perfect app, some dogs you think will likely be around a bit have tons of applications, some dogs a dog gets lots of apps but it's hard to find "the home". Each one is unique, but each one -barring Champ who is adoption pending, deciding between 5 homechecked families I guess-, they go where they're supposed to.

These are the faces of 2013.

From L/R - Angel, Cinderella, Cashew, Cheddar, Coleman, Obi, Zipper, Leila,
Wrangler, Champ, Peanut, Riley, Sunshine, Katrinka, Lexie, Sunday, Alice, GG,
Vibo, Lacy, Neela, Polly, Heli, Duke, Chopin, Levi, Do-A, Penny

It wouldn't be a year end reflection without some highlights. Here are my "Top 10" for 2013.

#10 -Sunshine: Sunshine was my first golden retriever foster from Taiwan. Like most goldens she was beautiful inside and out. I haven't had a golden in awhile now, but I'm sure I'll be asking to foster one again soon. I was also overwhelmed by the response of adopters who would really like to adopt an adult golden retriever.

#9 Dog of Beauty: Neela. Everyone has a look of dog they like, but sometimes a dog is so gorgeous it's universal. This year, the resident beauty queen was Neela the Formosan Mountain Dog. @ 26 pounds she looked like a miniature Belgian Malinois. I couldn't take her anywhere without being mobbed!

 

 #8 Heli, the one I learnt from the most. Usually it's not a puppy that teaches me the most in the year. But at just under four months Heli had more intensity in her than any dog I've seen before at that age and although she wasn't here long before being adopted, my dogs and I needed to sort her out some. Heli taught me the importance of making a breed-savvy match.

#7 Champ. Champ is my new foster dog with The Victoria Humane Society, which is created by Penny Stone and other employees/volunteers that have been fired from the SPCA. I'm excited to be a small part of this new adventure. I'm also very glad that the VHS will be doing homechecks, a vital piece of the adoption puzzle that in my opinion the SPCA greatly misses out on. Also, it's pretty awesome that the new Victoria Humane Society will focus solely on BC animals.

#6 Riley. Riley in and of himself was a good dog, but not one that I remember a lot. We had him a few weeks, of which the first two weeks he spent grieving the loss of his previous family. Riley was the only dog I have had personally surrendered -he was previously a daycare dog-, where I got the papers signed and was handed his leash collar and watched his previous home walk out the door. There was good reason he was surrendered -nippy with children and not a fan of their erratic movements-, but even with good reason, it was still very hard to watch. Still, as much as those few weeks hurt, Riley now lives with a retired couple who don't much like kids either.

#5 Perfect Penny. Every once in awhile a truly "perfect" dog waltzes into your life. A dog that is loyal, by your side, quiet, good with everything you introduce them too. A dog that the second day you know them it feels like you've known them a lifetime, as if you move in sync with one another. They are few and far between, but Penny was truly a perfect dog. Brilliant off-leash, bomb-proof personality and exceedingly loyal her new family calls her "Penny the Wonder Dog". It will be a long time before I meet another rare "perfect dog", but having one is truly a wonderful experience.

#4 The Border Collie who got away. It's no surprise that Zipper went to a cat test and never returned. His bomb-proof, sensitive but loyal nature was a winner. Zip was awesome all the way around, although he had energy for days and needed some much needed "calm training". It was a joy taking him up to try herding, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Three borders is too much for me, but I'm glad he will continue with sports in his new home. If I was going to foster fail this year, it would have been Zipper.

#3 GG. GG was an amazing girl with multiple applications. Although on paper there were more ideal homes, I decided on a whim to do an application that was all of a five minute drive away. Well, GG found "her girl" there, and the previously super quiet dog HOWLED and HOWLED all the way home from the homecheck. She knew where she was supposed to be. I had some disappointed other applicants, but in the end, a VERY happy GG (now Molly) whose family is very happy to have her.
When dogs know, they know. :)


Recent Update from GG (Molly) and "her" girl.

#2. Coleman (aka Floof). No matter how much logic sways a person, some faces can't escape you. California rescue is a strange creature in itself, with how big a thing it has become and how unfortunately a lot of it is shady. Still, when I saw Coleman's little face and how much he looked like Lemon I couldn't sit by and do nothing. The little friend he was brought in with was euthanized. So, despite trying to stay away from Cali, Floof came, spent over two months with me (we're flooded with small little dogs) and was eventually adopted to the manager of Paws and Claws here in Victoria. He reminded me love is more important than everything else. It is not where your from that matters, it matters that wherever you end up, you end up loved.

Floof with Lemon



Floof's picture... I couldn't say no.
 

#1. Do-A -the dog that almost made me cry-. I have yet to cry over a foster dog. Mostly because I find it to be such a happy thing, for them to go on their way. Besides, if I was sad about leaving, that would just filter down to them and they would be sad. But Do-A's adventure nearly had me bawling.

I was contacted over the summer from a older retired couple who had recently lost both of their black labs. They were searching through the SPCA but couldn't find a middle-aged mostly lab that would suit their lifestyle. They were finding lots of Rottis, pits, mixed-breed and the odd lab mix with some sort of behavioural problem, but at almost 70, they weren't up for that. So, I found Do-A in Taiwan and had him sent to foster. He was a 5-6 year old yellow lab, and from day one he was perfect. Loved to fetch, housetrained, calm but playful, a real follower. The type of dog you're happy to foster and the type of dog you know will make whoever they adopt them infinitely happy.

So Do-A hung out with me for a week or two, and then met his parents. Love at first sight is the best way to describe it. Since Do-A has been adopted he has protected his dad from a cougar, he goes boating every weekend, he follows his dad around the 5 acres every day, and sleeps at the foot of the bed. From a stray of 3-4 years to treasured family pet of two seniors who needed a happy, laid back lab. He will start therapy work in the fall, where he will go to hospitals to sit with seniors, and possibly attending childrens' reading programs. I think there's a little magic in all adoptions, but this one takes the cake.

Beautiful Do-A (now Tucker), the epitome of bombproof. 4-5 years on the streets, and the best dog you could ask for!

Well, that's all for 2013! We already have fosters lined up for 2014, so stay tuned :) I hope we get as many awesome dogs as we have had this year. Only a few annoying ones slipped in this year ;)


Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make me a Match

Petfinder is online dating, but for dogs. The downside however is we get one chance, one pick. We can't say "I'll try you" and dump them if they don't work out.

A dog is a lifetime commitment. You'll be spending years together. It's a "till death do us part" kind of arrangement. So, in fairness to both yourself and to the dog you are applying for, rescue needs to figure out if you're a match. Now that's not to say that there won't be learning curves or some days where you slam your head against the wall wondering what on earth brought the two of you together, but you deserve the best possible chance at being happy with your new companion, and your new companion deserves the best possible chance at being happy in their forever home.

So it's hard sometimes, when you get a lot of great applications, but they aren't necessarily right for that particular dog, or they could be, but you have to pick the best out of multiple great options.

It's hard explaining your qualities just don't line up. A one-person quantity time dog would be absolutely miserable here, just as a Beckett type dog -active and requiring dog company- would be absolutely miserable as an only dog with someone who is around a lot. Jinks would be a horrible fit for anyone with minimal dog experience, and could even become dangerous in different hands. Shane I'm sure could fit in anywhere and be loved and give love, and there are lots more like him. Dogs that are so adaptable you just have to tell them what they should love most and they will.

Some dogs do best with someone home most of the time, some dogs couldn't care less as long as they get to do tons of fun stuff, lots of other dogs are adaptable either way.

So some tips to see if you're a match.

1) Make sure you thoroughly read the adoption ad. Important details are usually in there such as whether they would prefer a home with other animals, or a home to themselves, whether they are cat safe or not, a good fit for children, and if they have any behavioural problems. You'll get an idea of energy level too. Don't get stuck on the picture. A pretty face is just a pretty face. You'll give yourself a slap upside the head if you adopt a pretty face that is a menace underneath that beautiful exterior. Not saying you shouldn't get a dog you like the look of, but make sure you read the ad. Oh, and before you reply to the ad, PLEASE read it. I really dislike and usually dismiss queries that have the exact information you're looking for right in the ad.

2) Examine your own lifestyle carefully. The idea of a high energy dog is nice, but living with one is usually a whole different ball game. A low energy dog doesn't mean he's incapable of any exercise or adventure, it just means he can happily be a couch potato. Most medium energy dogs require about 1 hour of dedicated exercise a day, and then up from there.

3) Decide on puppy/not puppy. To me, a puppy is any dog under 5-6 months of age. After about five months they are teenagers. They are easy to housetrain, can stay home a reasonable amount of time by themselves, and are over their big socialization periods so not nearly as much time and effort as a little bitty puppy. That said, they are now teenagers who haven't had stability in their previous lives, so you might get yourself into more trouble with a 6-10 month old. Still, go by bio.

4) Don't be offended if the rescue doesn't find you to be the best match for the dog in care. You have every right to know the reason(s) why, but please know we are trying our best to make a match, which involves two parties, but one of the parties is completely reliant on us to get it right.

5) Be open to another match. Of course have some requirements, but do let the people who know the dogs best help you decide. Unless you require your dog to be under a certain weight for house restrictions, be open to 10-25 pounds lighter or heavier either way. Be open to a gender switch, an age gap, and perhaps a totally different breed mix. Keep the focus mostly on your needs. Not to say you shouldn't be picky, just to say that if you open yourself up you might just find the dog you've been looking for but didn't stumble across yet. Your soul-mate with paws might just end up in a totally different package than you predicted.

Above all, try not to take it personally. It has been the rare dog in the last two years of fostering that does not have multiple applications -unless they're black and/or have some issues. We can't clone dogs, and there are always dogs getting overlooked for their prettier/younger/more photogenic counterparts. The easy, pretty dogs get lots of applications, its just how it works.

After you've adopted your dog, even if it takes months to find "the one" you won't remember how long it took to find them. I promise you that.