MY NEXT FOSTER - EVEN MORE LONG AND LOW THAN LITTLE MAN

Little Man is approx 30 pounds of long and low cuteness.   But, he is trumped by Cubby who is bigger and sounds like he is just as short.   Cubby is still at Turtle Gardens and has been there for about a year and a half.  Up until recently he just wasn't quite ready for adoption.  He has finally 'turned', is less shy and is ready for fostering.  Cubby was blogged on August 11, 2010 and here's what Yvette had to say about him:

"Yesterday was neuter day for Cubby! He is a long and low kind of guy and he arrived while i was away so I have no history for him other than he is a shy guy! As time goes by he is soliciting attention. So I decided that it was time to check him out and lo and behold – he was an intact male. An appointment was quickly made and yesterday was his day. He didn’t like being grabbed so I could put a collar and harness on his so Dave carried him to the van. Cubby did ok at the clinic though Dave had to hold him for his pre-meds – he was sacred. He weighs a hefty 45 pounds!!! He is only 13 inches tall but solid. He is also only about 8 or 9 months old. He came home and dove into the food bin he had missed a couple of meals after all! He checked out the house and yard then snuggled down to sleep off his ordeal."

Cubby is ready and is very deserving of a foster home and the chance to be adopted by some lucky person.  He will come to me on the next dog run....unless of course someone sees that he is ready for adoption and snaps him up first. 

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT



Little Man sniffing around the beach.

On the day of the dog run, Foster Mom Gloria gave Little Man a very healthy chew bone.  I brought it out for him on Friday and he couldn't get it out of my hand fast enough.  He pranced with it over to the dog bed and layed there wagging his tail looking at me.  I think he was waiting for instructions because he really didn't know what to do with it.  He licked it for a minute or so and then figured that was it.  He left it to pursue other things.   It was so funny how bad he wanted that treat only to give up on it.  


Saturday led us to the TG adoption event at Tisol.   A very nice lady named Marie came down just to meet Little Man.  She arrived with a couple of her friends and they all seemed familiar.  Marie had been at the TG dog walk a coule of summers ago and had been at the TG garage sale.  They had all been at the Gala too.  She was headed home to talk to hubby and see if he was on board for adopting Little Man.  


Little Man at Tisol with his wanna be mom
and her Dachshund from Saints



Little Man with his 'what's next' look.

 After the Tisol event we went with Paula and Silky down to MacDonald Beach.  Throughout the week Little Man has been glued to my side on our walks.   On the long leash he was very quick to come when called and so he earned his off leash time.  He seems to really love the sand and he had a good run around.  For such a shorty he even cleared the logs pretty good.

Paula, with an excited Silky waiting for the ball to be thrown.

We had a good time down at the beach although we were losing daylight quickly so we went home.  Once there I saw that Marie had sent her application in and her husband James was on board.  Who wouldn't fall in love with Little Man's cute little face.   They are pre-approved as TG adopters, so on Sunday we headed out to Spanish banks to meet Marie and James, their friends and all the dogs.  Little Man does well with their little Dachsie and I suspect they will be playing together in no time.   He will be going on the trails through the Endowment Lands and will also get many walks on the beach.   It is only through such a good match that I was okay with letting this little guy go.  He is special to me as I've watched his progress over the last year and have been waiting so long to meet him.   I know he is very special to Turtle Gardens too and they're happy he is now in the home he deserves. 



MEET LITTLE MAN AT TISOL FEB 18TH

Here is a little bit of Little Man

If you want to see more....come to Tisol on Saturday Feb 18th

Little Man is going to Tisol tomorrow for the adoption event.   For details please check out the blog on Turtle Gardens' website - click here.  He will be there at 12:00 for at least a couple of hours.

STAIRS, TOYS AND CITY STREETS

Here's a quick video of Little Man running down the stairs.  I love how he moves that short and long body a bit sideways ...probably so his belly doesn't hit the edge of the stairs as much

After a bit of playtime with a few toys, we headed out for an evening walk.  I moved in January so I'm really enjoying having a foster dog to give me reason to get out in the new neighbourhood.  I can walk through residential streets and have the choice of quite side streets or some main roads.  So I do a combination of both and Little Man is really good now with oncoming traffic but was still a bit nervous tonight with traffic coming past from behind us.  I worked on taking his focus off the cars and by the end of the walk I noticed a big improvement.  

I don't know how some of the TG dogs just automatically know how to walk so nicely on the leash but Little Man is in that group.  He heels very nicely and pays close attention to which direction we're going.  His tail is always in the upright position and if you say anything to him you're rewarded with a big tail wag.  He actually looks so proud of everything he does...like he knows he's being a good boy on the leash. 

He has good endurance too.  He keeps a good pace and doesn't get sidetracked by very many things.

Little Man is a good buddy through and through...he will be a devoted companion.

DAY 2 WITH LITTLE MAN

Yesterday was 'dog run' day and when I first saw Little Man come out of the van I was not disappointed at all.  He was everything I imagined he would be and more.  He is so cute and pictures don't quite do him justice.  He was a bit scared but mostly took the whole dog run process in stride.  After a quick introduction to me he went into one of the stalls and whenever I checked in on him he was just watching everything going on or he was curled up napping.   At the end of the dog run I went into the stall bring him out.  He wigged out once I got a collar on him and held the collar to clip a leash on but I didn't let go and he quickly calmed down and let me leash him up.  I took him out of the stall and he just hung out.  He seemed to recognize that he was with me and he went easily with me on the leash.   I loaded him into my truck and he settled in and napped most of the way home.  

He approaches most new things a little tentatively but learns so quickly what is safe and relaxes.  He made himself at home right away, ate food, drank water and then had a nap.   We went out for a long walk and when we headed out on to the main road he was afraid of the approaching traffic but he motored throught it and realized that too wasn't anything to be afraid of.   He will still be a bit of a work in progress with the heavy traffic and loud buses but he will learn.  After our walk it was dinner for the human.  He lays down and settles in pretty good, especially considering he's in a new place.   At the end of the night I took a few toys out of the drawer and look out! ...this guy really likes the toys.  That actually surprised me.  He especially likes the ones that squeak and I'm sorry, but for that reason I took them away...he was going to become quickly annoying with them as he found that squeaker way too fast and too often.  He was left with rope toys and some other chew toys which he still had fun with.  He is self-entertaining and is such a funny little guy to watch.



Little Man finds 'his' spot on the couch.  Coincidentally it
happens to be the same place as 'my' spot.



He is very affectionate but is also a bit independent too.  I can leave the room and he doesn't feel the need to follow me around.  He really seems to like his comforts and will scratch at a blanket to fluff it up to the right shape and will even gently bite the blanket to lift and move it. 

Last night he went up the stairs to bed quite easily, but this morning was another matter.  "You want ME to go down THAT!?"   You'd have thought I was asking him to bungee jump.  He was taking so long to get over his fears and was building himself into a state so I picked him up and put him on the third stair down and he wagged his tail and looked a little bashful when he realized he was in fact quite safe.  He went easily down the rest of the stairs and then I ran up and down a few times, with him keeping the same pace.  He looked so darn proud of himself at the bottom, with high praise and encouragement from me. 

When opened the door to my truck this morning he hopped into the back seat area and rode on top of two large dog beds with a blanket on top.  He grabbed a corner with his mouth lifted it up and climbed in between the layers.  Once there, I couldn't see a square inch of him.   

After work today I picked him up at daycare.  They said he got along with everyone but didn't play much.  I think that he probably will play more as the week goes by, he was just figuring out the lay of the land.  We stopped at a school field on the way home and he walks so politely on the leash but I could tell he had some zoomies in him.  So back to the truck to get the 80' leash.   He ripped up the school field.  He is very playful and would come charging at me and whip on by.   Seeing his reaction to a few thrown sticks I think he will really enjoy fetching once we find the perfect fetch toy for him.  



Little Man on the couch after the run on the field.

After a 10 minute power nap on the couch he came over to watch me type this blog.  He must be exhausted from his busy day of new things because he didn't even want to stand or sit to eat his dinner.

More blogs, videos and pictures to come soon.

BROTHERS FROM ANOTHER....DAD?

I fostered Kibbles one year ago and February 6, 2011 was the date he was adopted.   He was such an amazing dog to foster.  He flourished right before my eyes and his fear of people dissipated.   When I saw his intake picture from Turtle Gardens there was the back of another little guy in the same crate and I asked Yvette who he was and for some pictures of his face.   I don't know why, but I was intrigued by him without hardly seeing much of him.   His name is Little Man and apparently he is from the same mother as Kibbles but from a different litter.  Really??  No, really!

Kibbles and Little Man were brought in to Turtle Gardens
in the same crate

Kibbles when he was fostered with me last year.

Little Man up at Turtle Gardens

Do you see the resemblance?   So guess who I am fostering on Sunday?  

I have had my eye on this dog for a year and can't wait to finally meet him.  So now that I've said that I've probably jinxed it and he'll get adopted in the next few days.  Just you watch. 

The next dog run is going to be a whirlwind.  Winter has brought many new dogs into Turtle Gardens and so many adopters are anxiously awaiting their new best friend.   Be sure to read the Turtle Gardens blog in the coming week to see who is travelling down to their new home.

Oh...and yippee for having something to blog about again...I've missed it!