Be the Change—Finding Homes for Older Dogs

Three of my friends have adopted older dogs. They did it a bit for the dog (older dogs having a more difficult time finding a home), but mostly for their own joy. An older dog is mellow (but still active), has manners (yet is still trainable), does not need the constant supervision and stimulus that a young dog needs (but is alert and engaged). One adopted a 5-year old border collie cross, another an 8-year old lab and another a 9-year old lab-rottweiler cross. All three are wonderful dogs: attentive, engaged and endearing.

I've recently learned about a local shelter in our area called OldDog Haven. This is an organization made up of caring individuals who foster senior dogs (8-years old or older). It's non-profit, so they are ever in need of donations (both money and goods) and foster homes with the ultimate goal of placement. Older dogs have a very, very slim chance at adoption via a shelter where the atmosphere is, at a minimum, unnerving for them, while vying for attention against puppies and much younger dogs. Most people don't go to a shelter thinking, "Let's get an old dog that won't live much longer and may need lots of medical attention."

Happy Birthday favorite girl dog!

OldDog Haven has acquired dogs because the owners have passed away, or moved away, may have financial issues that preclude carrying for an elderly pet or unfortunately, some just don't want to deal with older dog issues. This is a great organization. If you—or someone you know—can help financially, by providing a foster or permanent home for a dog, or can contribute to their wish list, know that you are giving some lovely old hound a new lease on life.

Meanwhile, in the backyard…
Bella is two today! She has had several good walks, a rousing game of Chuck-It and is now savoring a rib bone. That's my girl!

New Buddy Has Med Problems Too!

My friend was disappointed to learn her new little buddy, Boone, has chronic superficial keratitis. I guess this is a life-long issue, but treatable. She noticed both of his eyes were a little milky and was concerned it might be cataracts. Her vet had a pharmacist mix up a 2% cyclosporin solution which is a transplant rejection medication  proven to be useful for this condition.  She said it takes 48 hours to prepare. Hope the little guy takes his daily meds well.

On our home front, Bella's raw red nose is glistening with Neosporin.

New Buddy!

Meet Boone, the new member of our community
dog pack!

My friend, who had the bad adoption experience this past summer, is in the "mood" again. She sent me several links of pups she was thinking about. And now, she just called and is bringing Boone home! Yay! Isn't he beautiful? (He reminds me of Tucker!) He's 5 years old and she said absolutely sweet. Let's hope it works out well for them both!

Quincy Goes Home

My friend re-homed her puppy. The pup, at less than 3 months, showed more and more aggressive tendencies. Biting. Growling. Attacking. And then she'd be sweet. What a hard decision it was to make.

Luckily her vet's tech works with aggressive dogs to re-socialize and re-home. She wanted a young female to work with and so my friend gave her Quincy. The tech promised she would keep the puppy if she wasn't able to re-home her.

For my friend, she'll be able to keep in touch regarding how the dog is doing. Of course she feels relieved, but also like she failed. I told her she's been a fabulous dog mom to three fabulous dogs. Not all dogs are meant to be ours. It is not our job to fit into the dog's life, but the other way around. She leads a very social life with lots of other dogs and children added to an unpredictable mix. It would be continually stressful constantly monitoring an aggressive dog.

4th of July and Hot Weather

We spent the holiday weekend away. Part of it was in the eastern Gorge area (hot) and part of it in the mountains (cool). Bella had several daily rounds of Chuck-it and retrieving sticks from the river. A doggie delight! Although firecrackers were going off, they were still pretty far away and she was completely unfazed. Maybe this is her hunting gene? Whatever the case, it was a huge relief after having nearly 30 years of dogs who were terrified by the bangs and whistling. Bella would look towards the noise and then continue with whatever she was doing.

The trip had a new visitor, Quincy. A good friend lost her dog this past winter to old age and she was ready for a new companion. Quincy is a 10-week old part Red Heeler and we're not sure what else. She has a bit of attitude which concerns my friend, obviously, but she's a great dog mom and reading up on puppies and signed up for puppy classes.

The past several days have been ballistically hot for here. I've taken Bella on early morning walks and afternoon swims in the lake. Other than that, we've barely moved. But this morning. Ah-h-h! It's a typical northwest kind of morning with a thick marine layer. Lovely and cool.

We've got a hike planned with another dog buddy. It should be a wonderful day.

Bella's Home!

Bella is here and my! What a puppy! We're thrilled to pieces and exhausted from all the middle of the night outings. She's been very good about letting me know when "it's time." A bit of squirming in her box which is by my side of the bed is enough to let me know to take her outside.

Everyone exclaims over her cuteness and of course, I have to agree. In reality, what puppy isn't cute? But since she's mine, she probably is the cutest of all.

She's fairly mellow for an 8-week old and able to self-entertain. Separation is a bit of a problem; she doesn't want me out of her sight, but once she figures out the situation, she quiets down.

She's met Hannah (a friend's 14-year old pup), Molly (Bella's cousin—same mom, different dads), Amber, Annie, Josie and Cherry—the neighborhood dog crew. She is a bit intimidated by the younger, bouncier ones (Amber, Molly and Cherry), but very enamored with Annie and Hannah who are old, sedate, about the size of her mom and similar coloring.

Puppy Kindergarten starts Sunday at
Ahimsa. I signed up for classes beginning on Monday, but with confusion happening between the vet, shots and class schedules, that fell through and I lost the opportunity. Bella gets her second set of shots on Saturday and that's where the glitch was; she needed those for the vet's okay. The owner at Ahimsa offered the Sunday class and although I originally bulked at that day and time, I think it will be great. One it's with the owner and two, it's early enough that there will be plenty of time with the rest of the day to play.

So into the land of puppydom we go!

Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is our lucky day! The puppy comes home! Today will include last minute frantic scurrying to get us ready. I need to get some chicken wire to fence off the veggie beds (the rest of the gardens will be on their own), the big crate needs to be set up and the baby-gates found.

Will the puppy like us?

Bringing in Supplies

I am so excited. It's funny how much different I feel about this puppy versus the sweet Tucker. I find myself quite 'ga-ga' over the puppy's imminent arrival and perhaps that's the calm before the storm. The basement is stocked with puppy food, treats and toys. Reading is frenetic. The orientation last night was exhilarating.

Who is this puppy? The thing I keep thinking is that for a while it will be pandemonium, and then...and then...it will be bliss. Yes, there will be ups and downs and whys and hows and all the things that go with dog-owning. But unless this puppy is a complete bomb (which I don't anticipate), there will be all the years of dog-owning bliss when I look into that furry face and glow with love and pride and happiness that this pup is part of my family!

Restart

It seems longer than it's been since I've posted and like much of life, so much has happened! We had a lovely Memorial weekend, but it was odd being dogless. The flip side was nice though—there were no issues about what to do and when, nor how to accomplish it with a dog. And then the phone call about the aussie-lab puppies...

A friend joined me to look at the five pups. She's a "puppy aficionado," so I'm uncertain whether it was advantageous to bring her along or not! Talk about aiding and abetting!

The pups were kept in a barn stall and were in the process of being weaned from their mom. The mama dog is absolutely wonderful: very petite, very nurturing, very attentive. Her five pups were a mix of her and her handsome consort: two black girls, a black merle boy (the only boy), a brown merle girl, and a tri-colored girl. The tri was already spoken for, so the others were available for consideration.

I fell for a little black girl who exhibited typical lab characteristics—happy go-lucky and friendly, such a delightful dufus! Yet I found the little brown merle girl interesting too. Initially the brown merle was a bit too independent for my liking, but as I watched her quietly explore, I became quite smitten. When she tuckered, she came over and laid down beside me. What's not to like?

Four days later, I took my husband (resigned and silent) out to see them. [Can we have a shaft of sunlight beaming down on us and heavenly music playing?] I have never seen someone do such a complete 180! He kept exclaiming how cute the puppies were while he played and laughed and patted them. The little brown merle took a shine to him and for the next hour, stayed by his side. So guess who we're bringing home? The posted picture is from my first visit when she was six weeks old and just about to konk out from an hour's worth of play.

It's been nearly two weeks since we've seen her; we wanted her a solid eight weeks old. I get to pick her up Friday morning and my same puppy-friend is coming along. We don't have a name yet, though the list of potential names is long. I'm excited to see how much she's changed in that time. All the other puppies are gone except for the little tri girl, so luckily our pup still had her sibling and mama there for comfort.

Last night I attended an orientation for puppy training and classes begin in two weeks. I have a stack of puppy books laying in the breakfast nook. I'm dreaming, thinking, stressing, happily contemplating all things puppy. More later when she's joined the fold!

New Day

I dropped Tucker off last week. His foster mom is a wonderful, easy-going woman. She was going to take Tucker sheep-herding this past weekend. I hope it went well; I think he'd like it.

When I dropped him off, he immediately started playing with his buddy and that certainly eased the transition for me. His foster mom sent me an email letting me know he's paced the gate when I left, but went back to playing with his dog friends, so Tuck will be okay.

The friend that joined me on this sad, but good trip said I should get a lab. I don't think of myself as a lab person, but what should happen? The owner of my in-laws great aussie called to tell me their wonderful little girl dog commingled with the neighbor's black lab and now has 5 week old puppies as proof? Destiny? I'll go look...

A short lived affair

I've been in tears all day struggling with this decision, but I feel I have to return Tucker. He is the sweetest boy and wants so badly to please, but our environment is not a good match for him. I believe he needs more stimulation than we can provide him. He barks/yips in the yard, house, car. Whether an obsession or a bad habit, it is a very large part of his personality—at least here. Perhaps he needs more space or a dog buddy—or more likely, a job.

Last night our neighbors were over. The mom is a vet tech and her daughter is around six and dog-savvy. They've both met Tucker before and the little girl has patted him. She's a very quiet little girl—and this is an understatement. Tucker was leashed to me. The little girl was very gently petting him, she wasn’t jumping or squeaking—or even speaking. When she stopped, Tucker starting nipping at her clothes. There is not a mean bone in his body, all he wanted to do was play. She didn't react and actually thought it was kind of fun. However, I immediately said “No!” and put Tucker on a down, then removed him from the situation.

Neither mom nor daughter were frightened or bothered by it, he didn’t make contact with skin, but I know that nipping is what he was bred to do. He nips at me if I race by him. I can’t help thinking in a different situation, if I should have my head turned and a small child comes running by…

My husband and I had a long talk about it last night and again this morning trying to determine the best next step. Tucker is a beautiful little boy dog who is very sweet and exhibits traits for which he was bred. I understand the learning curve with a new dog. I know training is a long process and needs to be viewed with the big picture/long term goals in mind. However, this made us assess our lifestyle and dog needs with his needs/breed.

Packworks felt Tuck was a medium-high drive dog. My take is he'd be happiest with a job whether it is actually working or working with someone who can consistently and regularly provide him with something to do (herding, agility). Not piecemeal, not every once and a while, not miles of long walks. (Even the seven miles yesterday didn't slow him down much.) If he isn't regularly engaged (and toys don't seem to hold his attention for very long), he isn't happy/is bored. I play with him in the yard, but if he loses interest in the game, there's the sky to deal with. I am not able to give him the amount of attention he seems to need.

We've been working on the leash and it still needs work. He sits for his dinner, waits to go out the door, walks my pace down stairs. He's very smart and very tender. While crying, he was curled at my feet. What is not to love about this dog? But for his sake and ours, I think he needs a different family.

Calmer...at least for now

I think Packworks missed the boat on Tucker. They had great ideas, but for the wrong dog. In 24 hours, he became a much different animal and not one I wanted. Today I walked him around seven miles in three different walks and he's back to sweet.

He still sky barked. Bad. Really bad. But perhaps if I keep him tethered to me I can stop it.

I'm also going to take some obedience classes, either starting this week or early June. Classes were not recommended by the trainers, but I think it will be a good solution and good for bonding.

I'll keep Tucker another week.

Pulling My Hair Out

One week down the hatch and what a hatch it is! Tucker is obsessive/compulsive about the sky. He tears around the yard, eyes fixed skyward, barking. It doesn't matter if a bird, contrail, or plane is in sight; he's over the top about it. Same in the house if he can look out a window. I hate this and don't know how to deal with it!

Packworks said to keep his world small and only walk him in the backyard, but after one day, he's gone from a sweet boy to a snippy boy. Awful. I took him back into the neighborhood this morning and though he pulled, it was better for both of us. Where's the mental stimulation from walking the backyard? He didn't look at me while doing it, but at the sky. Periodically he'd flop down and I'd be dragging him until he got up. What is this proving? If this is leadership, I say someone else can have it!

He won't poop (yet) while on a leash, so of course he went inside. Not his fault. This has me so on edge I can barely stand it!

Tucker

Tucker is either a short-coated border collie or a border collie/cattle dog cross. Neither the rescue nor the vet were positive. He's somewhere between 1-2 years old and a fine little dog. I did bite off a handful considering his breed and his desire for chase...cats, small kids. Not all bring it out or should I say, not all create a wreck out of both of us. All entice him: cats, kids, dogs, people, cars, but to see a couple in a row put him in hyper drive. One alone, we can manage. Thank heavens he's little, but I don't want to turn him (and me) into whirling dervishes.

Oh. Did I mention he's also a jumper? And a counter surfer?

I've taken him to the vet and he got a clean bill of health. I'm hoping to set up an appointment with an organization called Packworks. The rescue folks recommended it because of Tucker's shyness. Another neighbor recommended because of the great advice they gave him on his rescue dog.

So Mr. Tuck is not a poodle, nor an Aussie. He does shed. My skin is reacting. And right now, I questions my sanity. I'm hoping he'll be just fine.

Another Possibility

I looked at a dog this past weekend. What a handsome boy! I had a couple of reservations though. He's only been at this foster home a couple of weeks. He has two wonderful acres to roam, three other dogs to play with, two cats to chase and fields worth of bunnies. So understandably, he was not particularly focused on me. Of course, that was disappointing, but pushing my ego aside, I understand (and hope) that's something that would change. When he did come up, he was very willing and eager for loving.

However, he is also very shy. His foster mom said he probably was an outside dog without a lot of human or canine interaction so new things overwhelm him. It is possible this shyness could evolve into aggression without the proper leadership and training. Would this be easy to do or would it be a constant part of owning Jake? God bless, Lucy, but I don't want another dog whom I need to continually monitor. I want a dog who is confident without being aggressive, friendly without being in your face, and is compliant but not lacking esteem.

When in doubt...

I sent an email to my vet asking her for her feedback on health and personality of aussies and standard poodles. Those two breeds seem to be my focus du jour and I thought she'd have a good perspective on them. Of course, I do understand that once I'm in the grips of a puppy, I may buy by the heart—and I hope that's the case! None-the-less, I'd like her opinion. She is not only a vet, but does a lot of outside activities (agility, etc.) with her dogs. Plus, as a vet, she sees them in their time of need, so can assess if either breed is more prone to certain issues.

Off the subject of breeds, but equally important, I came across this blog entry today. Since I've used many of those questionable products on Lucy, I find this interesting. Did the flea solution have something to do with her cancer?

Looking at Poodles

I met some great standard poodles recently. They were quite small (37 and 43 pounds, I think), but large enough to not be confused for a miniature. They were lovely and sweet and well-mannered.

As a child, my mother had been told that if she insisted on getting a dog, she should get a poodle as I was allergic. What amazed me about these dogs, was how my hands didn't react at all when I petted them. It was very surprising as I am so used to my hands getting itchy when I touch a new dog. Whenever I've brought a new pup home, it's taken a while for my skin to adjust to the dander, etc. But with the poods, nothing.

Identity

Because Lucy and I were such a familiar sight in the neighborhood, I am often stopped and asked where she is. People aren't accustomed to seeing me dog-less. I am pleased I still walk the 'hood twice a day and for the first time in years, I'm traveling through different neighborhoods. And there in lies the rub...

I grew up with dogs even though I was allergic. My mother decided it was better I learn to live with and care for animals than have an itch-free existence—and for her own need to own a dog, I'm grateful. Throughout my childhood, there was always a dog, big, little, smart, gregarious—it didn't matter. Dalmatians, dachshunds, retrievers, mutts... When I moved out of our house into my first apartment, I was dog-less, but I didn't feel like I was. I lived close enough to my mother and visited frequently where there was always a dog at home.

It was only when I moved west that I truly was without a furry face. That lasted just shy of two years. Getting a dog, being responsible for someone other than myself, was my first step towards "growing up." It instantly modified my behavior. And how lucky I was that Suzy was such an amazing dog! When she passed away, it only took a couple of weeks before Lucy came to live with us. But now that Lucy is gone, it's been two months—and that's just the start of it.

I find I'm not frantic for a dog, though being without a dog is curious. I don't go into a store without thinking I should look for dog treats or toys. I still save plastic bags for scooping. I don't go on walks (although I'm training myself to call it that), but dog walks. Being on vacation last weekend without Lucy in the van with us, made me feel as if we'd forgotten something. I continually imagine her in the house. Not literally anymore, but in the figurative sense. The "if I was here, she'd be there" thought process.

Many friends—and even my students—ask when are you getting another one? I wonder the same thing. I've never considered being without a dog. I assumed one would always be in my life. Is this a new me? When will I get another dog...or will I?

My response has been consistent. For all her fabulous qualities, Lucy's dog aggression was stressful. It was something that I had to always monitor, it limited where I went and what I did. Plus the last three years of her life were fraught with medical issues which were equally emotionally debilitating. What did she have? How much would it cost? Would she be okay? And on, and on...

So I am not in a rush to have a pup again. I'm going through the steps. I'm having a "home check" down by one of the rescue organizations. I look on the internet and have been to the humane society, but no little face has called to me without me thinking of the work involved. I am liking my freedom to go anywhere at anytime to do anything. I am liking how clean the house is. I am liking there are no spousal disagreements on dog care.

But somehow I feel that's sacrilegious...

Give and Take

I've been having interesting conversations recently. They have been from the pro-no-dog folks—people who previously had a dog, but now do not. The bottom line is they wanted to do something else and the dog(s) held them back. One couple does extensive overseas bike rides. This is something my husband and I have often talked about and would love to do, but could not/would not because of the dog.

The dilemma for me is do I choose not to have a dog because I'd be gone for a certain length of time, when the majority of time, I'd be at home? We've often talked about traveling overseas, but with the recent dollar exchange, we decided this continent would be more affordable and equally enjoyable. And this continent, at least on this side of the southern border, we can easily take a dog.

Also, a friend reminded me, I am a homebody. I love camping, but I love my home and garden. Do I really want to be gone for months at a time? As fun as the van is, it's small! As an adult, the longest I've been gone is a month and we took the dog with us. It was during the winter and the garden could manage on its own. I don't really want to go during our summer as it's so nice here.

So what's a girl to do?

There's a little pup I passed up on. Perfect size; sounds like a lovely little personality. We weren't ready. I am so uncertain about this!

Patience

One of my students got a rescue dog recently. The dog is a lot of work for her and we were laughing about the learning curve both the owner and dog go through getting used to each other. Each class she asks if another dog has come into my life and I can honestly say, "It will happen, when it happens."

Yes, I am actively submitting applications in the Border Collie rescue, but I am not pursuing the dog to the point of obsession. My student said the reason why I didn't hear back from the rescue people and it's something I should have known. As the pup is globally exposed, the number of applications must be staggering. Of course they can't get back to me right away! If I wasn't the first application in, I could have been the 100th or 200th! That makes me even happier. I can apply without anxiety. It will happen when it happens.

We are taking our first vacation without Lucy this weekend. A short trip and only for the weekend, but it feels so strange to not be packing all of her things. The van will seem big and empty.