Never a Dull Day in Foster-Land.

Gorgeous Sail has been fostering with us for a few days now, and its been a busy household. She failed her adoption -just not the right match. High energy combined with very little training (no one's fault, it just is) is quite a hard match to make. You both have to be patient enough to deal with what's in front of you (a non-focused energy machine) and the endurance to work on it. However, the sheer amount of potential in dogs like this is what makes the people that get them happy. Of course, potential has to be mined.



Sail is a young Border Collie mix with all the energy of a puppy, and none of the training an active breed needs to stay sane. She isn't a bad dog whatsoever, and is one smart cookie but she's go-go-go outside. Inside she's okay to hang out (she's a bit of a glue dog), but she needs to keep her mind active. I've been working a bit with tuggies, balls and cookies to make games for her, but without any basic training tools its been quite an experience. Its kind of like having the ability and energy to play NBA basketball, but not knowing how to dribble a ball. How to incorporate beginners moves and advanced moves. Well, she's definitely had me on my toes! A quick video of Sail learning to play tug nicely (IE: let go when I ask, bring it back, tug but not 'shake to kill')



Unfortunately she completely shuts down my two current fosters with all that crazy energy, and after two days Beckett is exhausted (he's the only one that'll play/put up with her). Most importantly, she isn't safe with small, slightly silly dogs that run away from her (which is what our landlord's dog tried). It was a good thing Sam ran right to be (making that horrible squeaking sound that activates prey drive very quickly) or she might have nailed him. She's fine with smaller dogs that don't do stupid prey-type stuff, but safety must come first so we've been trying to seek out another foster home.

She's also no good with cats (which isn't an issue here, but denied her a foster home at Meshum's -whose a high-energy kind of home). So, Sail is heading to Lisa for a bit, and will either return to Turtle Gardens, or find another foster home in the mainland. Hopefully the later. She will really benefit from the life skills/training to give her a set of basics to leave foster care with. In different circumstances she would have stayed, but I can't have my own dog completely exhausted 24/7 and have my other two fosters (who are coming out of their shells more and more!) get back into those shells due to Sail. Most importantly, I can't put my rental situation in danger. That would most likely mean no-more fostering as foster-friendly rentals are ridiculously far between!

Good luck Sail! I know you will find that home that is going to love you for the amazing girl you are -and will become. --there are no outdoor photos of her as she's too fast to actual get one of!



My two main girls are doing awesome though. (After Sail left for a couple of hours with Meshum last night, they decided to throw a Hallejuah party, throwing shoes around the house and being altogether silly.) They both like to rearrange the house while we're out getting groceries, but its mainly throwing the shoes -only one has got chewed!-. Xena is a total goofball once you get her going. She'll throw the shoe up and catch it or parade around the house with two old shoes in her mouth. -As long as they don't get my good shoes, they can have the old ones all they want-. My good shoes stay up high anyway!

And they are both in love with Beckett. They'll play together sometimes, but Toast is a madly in-love, annoying school-girl crush kind of thing, and Xena is the 'wife' who lies beside him wherever he goes. So far, I've only seen Xena initiate play with Beckett.

They act like an old married couple! (Xena is an old soul I swear)


Both girls have been going to daycare. Toast will play, but she'd rather follow Emma, an older doodle type dog around. They chew on bones together, hang in the corner together and are slight non-socials who like company around but not in their faces. Then Toast will get the zoomies for a few minutes, and then go hang out with Emma. When Emma isn't there Toast will play with a few 'select' favourites, but otherwise isn't overly playful. She is however playful as soon as she gets home and sees Beckett. Poor old guy just can't catch a break :P Too many young girls around!

Wiped dogs settle down for movie time. IE: the 2 hour period in the day Foster-Mum gets a break with Sail around!


Xena is interesting at daycare. She is relaxed, but she's an observer by nature. Many of the dogs we've had in the past who are 'observers' are really just being shut down and are stressed, or afraid to play in a group. Xena isn't. She's content to watch other dogs play, and moosies around the room for a better view of whoever is most interesting. She'll initiate gentle play with Beckett, but with him being so tired out from Sail, I haven't be bringing him much! You can definitely tell she enjoys the company though. Haha, she's a lot like me. I like being the wallflower! You get to see/hear the most interesting things that way.

We have a date with Honey -now Daisy- coming up too so the sisters can reconnect! How exciting. My soon-to-be (or later, depending on finances :P (one letter more than fiance I should at) mother-in-law is quite smitten with Toast, so she might head to Saskatchewan with us for a week at the end of the month while we go to my good friend's wedding. Who knows! One thing's for sure. At this precise moment, Toast couldn't care less.