GUESS WHO SODA HAS GONE TO LIVE WITH...

Soda went overnight to Sunshine's house and is officially adopted today!  I couldn't be happier with this match up.  I'm told today that Soda is fitting in like he has always been there.  I can believe that after seeing him interact yesterday with Sunshine and Joey and his human family who have such great dog energy.   He will have a great life with lots of love.  

I miss the little guy...probably just as well he didn't stay with me in foster too long. 

I should also comment that Sunshine look amazing!  She has put on a bit of weight and she looks happy and healthy.

WANT TO JOIN CLUB SODA?

Soda at Turtle Gardens

I was fairly confident I would never foster a dog that could possibly be smaller than Sunshine but along came Soda.  Sunshine was 6 lbs and Soda is 5 lbs (but is working on gaining some weight).  I used to think I was a big dog person and that is still true in a sense but these teeny-tinies are such an irresistible draw for me. 

At the dog run....

....getting lots of love

Soda came to town on Sunday and although Yvette told me his weight it was still a bit of a shock to see him in person....smaller still than I imagined.  I will be committed to finding him a 4-on-the-floor home, the same as Sunshine found. 

Soda was a bit shy at the dog run but basically pretty chipper and friendly with anyone paying him some attention.  He was passed around to a few of the different professional-dog-run-cuddlers and so we only caught a couple of pics in volunteer`s arms.  He walked well on the leash and seemed to take the long trip quite well.   We drove home and he rode home on the dog bed most of the way, but trying occasionally to climb onto my lap.  He likes to be close but is learning that driving time means he has to stay on his side. 

We had a fairly uneventful day.  He ate a bit of food and drank some water and then slept a lot!  He loves the comfort of the couch, warm fuzzy blankets and good dog beds.  We only went outside for a few pee breaks and to sit in the sun briefly.  A few trips outside later he started to add a spin on the leash to his walk.  He would walk ahead and look back at me, do a full turn and then continue walking.  He slept okay through the night but had a bit of a struggle finding one spot to sleep on the bed...so many choices. 

This morning he was schedule for his neuter and he snoozed on his dog bed while waiting for me to get lunch ready for work.  Little eyes popped open when the camera came in closer. 

Soda came through his neuter very well and is soundly sleeping on the couch next to me as I type.  I look forward to seeing more of his personality through our first week, once he is healed up.  Watch for more pics, video and stories. 

In other news, I realized when I opened my blog that I never did a final adoption post for MacIntosh.  He is doing so well in his home - he is a very well loved family member.  I also had a chance to meet Mac`s mom Sophie at the dog run, as she came down for her spay.  What a sweet dog she is and little Mac is starting to fill in her shoes too in looks and personality.   Here are some pics showing Mac`s progress and a pic of Sophie from Sunday`s dog run.

At Turtle Gardens

Fostered with me in Richmond

Adopted and going on adventures!

Momma dog Sophie.

LITTLE MAC SETTLES IN

It's been a week and a half now and MacIntosh is settling in and learning the routine.  I keep him with me at all times (when he's not at daycare) and we are taking baby-steps towards time on his own.  We have started with times when he is tired and comfortably snoozing on the couch.  I will get up and leave the room quickly and come back right away.  At first he followed but after a week he stayed on the couch.  When I have my shower in the morning he comes into the bathroom with me and at first was not happy that I was on the other side of the shower curtain and whined a bit.  After a week he just flops on his dog bed and is content waiting.  I'm happy to have the opportunity to progress as such a slow rate with him.

When we are outside he loves nothing better than a good stick.  He found a real whopper of a stick the other day but it looked a bit rotten so I took it away from him and tucked it in the tree, high up, out of his reach.

 

He actually tried to climb the tree a bit, back legs got a teeny bit off the ground.  He eventually gave up on the new stick and played with a pine cone instead.  It's a full time job making sure he doesn't pick up anything he shouldn't....I'll tell ya!

....okay, how 'bout a pine cone then

MacIntosh was 13 lbs a week and a half ago.  He's grown by a pound and a half, and I think I see some changes in his face too.  It's amazing how fast these pups change right in front of you.

I missed posting a couple of pics from the Pet Fair we went to in Ladner a couple of weekends ago.

One of the biggest differences I've found in fostering a puppy at 3 1/2 months vs. fostering a dog of 8 months or older is that I think I have a better read on the older dog's needs for their adoptive home.  With a pup of Mac's age I see his personality but I also see puppy traits he will grow out of and then there is the variable of what his adoptive family will affect in the way he is raised.  It brings up more questions than I have answers.  Will he be active or mellow.  Well behaved or a mischievous little guy.  Will he be 20 pounds or 40 pounds or?   I know that Yvette at Turtle Gardens 'knows her dogs' whether they are pups or adults and that comes from years and years of experience...I wish some people's knowledge could be downloaded into your own head.  I would certainly take on Yvette's puppy knowledge along with Foster Mom Gloria's knowledge too!  

'pick me up'

MacIntosh still doesn't like leaving home too much but he's becoming more interested in getting out for walks. He just likes to be picked up along the way here and there and then is fine with another stint of walking.  His needs for being carried are lessening but his desire to get back home hasn't.  He's obviously just needing some more time before he's ready to truly venture out and away from his den.  So for now we have mostly been playing with toys at home. 

One last thing, say good bye to the blue harness!  In a week and a half he has outgrown it.  That's a foster first for me.  I don't usually have dogs that outgrow gear.

MY LITTLE APPLE

It's been so long since I've blogged I almost forgot my password.

I don't normally foster puppies.  Sometimes I've made exceptions and fostered a dog 5-8 months old but when Yvette told me about MacIntosh and emailed me a picture, I found myself committing to foster a 3 1/2 month old puppy!

I've had Little Mac now for a week and he's being such a good pup.  He is very cuddly and he loves his comforts.  Now that he has come to trust that I'm looking out for him he spends more time using me to obtain his goals which aren't as much about cuddling with me as they are getting from one dog bed to the other.  He's pretty funny about it.  He loves to be at home, but if we're leaving he b-lines over to the truck where another dog bed is and he knows the truck takes him to dog daycare.  On his first day at daycare he was quite scared going into their office but by day two he was pulling on his leash like a seasoned husky pulling a sled, to get up that pathway and into daycare.  Daycare is full of fun staff and fun dogs!  Don't get me wrong, he is still very cuddly with me and he melts my heart when I pick him up and he leans into me and puts his head on my shoulder.

He rides well in the truck, sometimes chewing on the toy on his bed and sometimes sleeping.  He sleeps all through the night and so far has not had any accidents in the house.  He has even run to the door a couple of times when he needed to do some business.  I'm super diligent about making sure he has enough bathroom breaks though so I'm hoping an adoptive home will continue with that as he's doing so well. 

MacIntosh is very playful with other dogs and loves meeting new people, although he can be a bit shy with some when first meeting.  After a week he is becoming very playful with me as he builds trust.  He does like to nibble on anything that is sticking out of anything but is easily redirected to something more appropriate to chew on. Here is a pic of MacIntosh after his second day of daycare....

He's such a good puppy, he almost makes me want to foster another and another!  I don't think he will be a very long foster at any rate as he's so darn cute.

 

 

TWO FOSTER DOGS X 1 WEEK = TWO ADOPTIONS

Jeesh, you couldn't afford to blink with the last two foster dogs.  Quincy went home on Saturday and is now named Byron, and then on Monday I lost Barley to a new home too.  Barley found the perfect home while attending daycare.  One of the staff had also recently adopted TG dog Pixie and the two of them played so well together that Barley was taken on board too.  Pixie and Barley are so much alike it feels like they must somehow be related.   Barley is now called Ollie.  I was sent a pic tonight that shows just how settled Ollie is....

Livin' the good life!

QUINCY'S ADOPTION DAY!

One of the best things about fostering two dogs is when one is adopted your home isn't empty.  I met with Quincy's adopters today and he went home with them on the Skytrain.  I can't tell you how odd it feels to meet someone at a Skytrain station and exchange an adoption fee for a dog.  Quincy was unphased by the sound of the trains on the tracks overhead while we waited and I'm sure his right went smoothly.

Quincy's new family is a really great, young couple that have been waiting for a long time for a rescued Boston breed.  They tried fostering to see how a dog fits in with their lives, they selected a breed the both agreed fit their lifestyle and then they waited for the right dog to come along. When Quincy showed up for adoption they contacted Turtle Gardens so quickly, met him and fell in love, and the end result is an adoption today to a very happy and excited couple.  His new family is car free so I'm pretty sure he's going to be getting to see quite a bit of Vancouver by foot.  'Good luck little buddy, you're in good hands!'

In Quincy's absence, Barley all of a sudden noticed my Frankenstein statue!  I guess he'd been so focused on Quincy that he never noticed.  I always get a kick out of dog's reactions because some really can't tell if it might come to life or not.  Oh how I wish for a remote control that would make him move (I know I'm evil).

p.s. Franklin Kenneth Stein aka Frankie is a Value Village find that I just could not leave the store without!

Frankie on arrival day...

1 WEEK UPDATE WITH QUINCY AND BARLEY

Well its been one week with my two fosters and Barley has been a cone-head for a good portion of it.  He has gone cone free when I'm able to supervise him closely but bedtime and a few other times he's needed a cone to stop him from fussing with his stitches (he was neutered last Saturday).  I suppose as they heal the incision gets itchy, aggravated by pointy stitch ends and shaved hair growing back in.  Poor little dude!

Cone free with an abandoned piece of carrot in the background.

Quincy is doing very well and he is becoming more comfortable with me and I've seen more and more little stubby tail wags.  A couple of nights ago I ran the circuit around my place - from the kitchen, down the hallway and through the living room/dining room.  I'd do three laps with both Quincy and Barley following in hot pursuit and then stop when I got to the living room.  Barley was beside himself with excitement and Quincy forgot himself for a moment and let himself cut loose and prance around a bit and for his little reserved self he was excited.

Dinner time for the first few days was a challenge as you know two dogs will always want whats in the other dog's bowl.  But with one dog being twice the size of the other I needed to be sure that they each got the food they should have, quantity-wise.  So they finally learned how persistent I could be and they now eat without swapping - until they're both done and only then can they check the other dog's empty dish just to be sure it's empty.

At dog daycare Barley has been playing with Pixie - another Turtle Gardens dog that was adopted by Sarah from my dog daycare.  They are very similar in looks and personality and they identified with each other very quickly.  Quincy is fine at daycare too but his experience is different as he's more focused on the staff.  He sniffs other dogs and is fine being sniffed in return and then he goes and finds a human to follow or sit on a lap.  I think in time he will find his inner playful puppy.

Here's a pic to show you what a good daycare day does to a dog.

Riding home in the truck.

It is always Barley wanting to be with Quincy.  I haven't seen Quincy make many moves towards Barley although for the most part he doesn't seem to mind the company.  I think Quincy will be happy being an only dog while Barley would love to have a 4 legged companion in his home to play with and mimic and curl up with.

More news to come in the next couple of days....hint hint....

QUINCY AND BARLEY HAVE ARRIVED!

Quincy on the left / Barley on the Right

This past Saturday was dog run day....yahoo!  I’ve missed fostering and to make up for lost time I signed up for two fosters.  That is not my ‘norm’ at all but with one dog being 6 lbs and the other 13 lbs that’s still not a whole lot of dog weight-wise.  When I drove up to the dog run the first dog of my two that I saw was Quincy the Boston/Chi X and my first comment to Gloria, who was gearing him up with a leash and collar, was that he had such a cute but homely face...and I loved it! 

He has the cutest little under bite that usually shows just one tooth sticking a teeny bit out of his mouth and with the absence of any markings on his face he just looked different than any other Boston type dog I had seen before.  He has a look that grows on you very very quickly.  I then went to the TG truck and met Barley.  He was wagging his tail, happy to see me, although a little scared to come out of the crate but we soon fixed that.  He has hardly stopped wagging his tail since then.  

Quincy was frozen to one spot but was willing to try walking around the parking lot a little bit with Gloria, and Barley was willing to move around quite easily but with no direction and not sure of the leash holding him back.  What a mis-matched pair....the biggest thing they had in common was their small size.   I took them from the dog run to the vet and Quincy had his shots and Barley was neutered and had shots.  Both faired really well.  With Barley having his neuter that gave me some time to get to know Quincy a bit.   

Checkin out the flowers

He bonds quite quickly to whoever seems to be ‘his’ person at the moment – at the dog run it was Gloria and he had little interest in going with me and then he quickly transferred that attachment to me.  He is not clingy but he definitely wants the security of belonging to someone.  

 So far he seems to be a fairly mellow and serious dude but who knows who he will be once he settles in and gets comfortable.  Will he be bouncy or will he stay serious and slightly aloof?  Part of that will be up to the confidence building he receives and part of that will depend on his true nature.  As for Barley, he is happy with everything!  He has been a little bit restless since his arrival and wants to explore quite a bit.  I'm not sure how he will be as he settles either but I suspect he might like a life with interest....gardening, interesting walks with things to see and smell, people to meet, car rides and such....

Ain't I cute?

Quincy and Barley are getting along quite fine....Barley loves Quincy and Quincy kind of just seems to accept Barley vs. loving him.  They will eat or drink out of the same dish and that's okay, but when Barley tried to mount Quincy he got told off.  Both dogs are very quiet and have only barked when the neighbours came outside in the yard next door....they weren't sure if they belonged there so they barked, but once they realized they weren't going anywhere both dogs settled and went about their business again.  Both are riding well in the vehicle and while Quincy is walking very easily on the leash now Barley continues to wander around and bump into both me and Quincy....just getting in the way in general.  He hasn't quite grasped the walking in a straight line thing yet.  

Both dogs have received multiple applications and Quincy has already met one couple.  I don't think either dog will be hanging around like Sunshine did...that's for sure!

Lastly...here's a quick video...Barley the wagger and Quincy who wants to go inside and eat.

 

DOUG-LESS

I'm Dogless and Dougless.  My little buddy got adopted last week and I've already heard that he's settled in very well.  I caught a few short videos of him before he left. 

Ice out of the tray = GOOD  /  Ice in the water dish = BAD

Since the first day that Doug came to me he had a curiosity about the heat registers.  While making dinner he would sometimes go and watch the register.  I'm not sure if he thought something better than warm air was going to materialize.  I just loved his shadow on the wall too.

And for a parting video, how about a bit of fun in the snow.  Doug loved it!

Doug was a very fun foster.  He is a gutsy little guy.  I discovered that the more freedom he had to be himself the better behaved he was.  He is sensitive to people's moods and responds the best to positive energy and seems to really appreciate when someone 'gets' him...especially his mischievous side. 

He has a great couple to go on many adventures with and two cats to learn how to play with.  (One of the cats was an adoption facilitated through Turtle Gardens many years ago.)  His new home after a couple of days reported that the younger cat was busy figuring out the dog bouncing around to play and Doug was learning to interpret a cat that bats with paws to play.   I see a future with lots of fun!

A QUICK UPDATE ON DOUG

Doug continues to do very well.  He no longer plays catch me if you can.  He is the one that ends the game of chase by coming to me.  He plays all day long at daycare and I'm told he's even had a few time outs for being too enthusiastic.  Apparently, he's getting past the honeymoon phase.  He's still a good boy but sometimes gets carried away with a good play. 

He's less likely now to chew on bits sticking out of rugs than he was a few weeks ago but it's taken alot of redirection for him to realize the difference between toys and rugs.  That's not to say he doesn't still try.  He is learning to fetch but only when I throw toys away from his preferred playing spot.  He runs and pounces and then brings them back.  He sleeps very well through the entire night and sleeps in on weekends.  He asks for the door when he needs to go out and is still not much for barking. 

Here's a quick video of him from this last week.  He tries so very hard to stay awake when we drive home from daycare.  Not sure why he feels he has to fight it, but he does.  (p.s. the quality isn't that good from my phone and no worries....it was propped up and ready to go before I started driving)

DOUG LOVES HIS TOYS

First time I've got the camera out....can you tell by his expression?

I have put out several toys and Doug has fun with all of them at different times.  Two nights ago I introduced a new stuffie and added a dog bed into the mix for added playtime comfort.  It didn't take Doug long to move all the toys over to the bed, but his first choice was still the new red toy. 

My hand going in to take the toy.... and he never minds

R U giving it back?

Thank you!

Doug is such a cool little dog!  He's still playing all day at daycare, except for when he's getting cuddles from the staff and they all love him to pieces there so he gets lots of love!

I have yet to find anything negative about him.  He is still proving to be a well balanced little dude.  I do have to admit to one thing though.....Yvette told me he likes to play catch me if you can.  I heard it, but didn't worry about it when Doug and I started playing a fun running/chasing game around the house.  He took full part in having me chase him around, throw the ball which he would run to get and then take off with it and wait for me to catch up again.  We went in circles around the living room, down the hall, through the kitchen and dining area and around again.  Each lap we did we'd both stop at either end of each other - both out of sight and listen to who would make the next move.  Lots of fun!  Doug was loving it....but he didn't know how to end the game!  Once I stopped he wouldn't recognize it was over and believe me - he knows exactly how far an arms-reach is....ha ha.  I had to put an end to the game by blocking one end of the kitchen with two chairs stacked and once he knew he couldn't do the circle any more he stopped and came to me.  It was pretty funny and I thought in my head 'Yvette told me so'.  So now we are working on playing and ending the game.  For this we play with toys and a bit of chasing but Doug goes on leash.  After a minute, I relax and show the game is over and bring him over to me on leash for a pet and a good scratch and lots of praise.  I'm planning on taking him to an enclosed off leash park next weekend....wish me luck!  The worst that happens is he gets bored and tired before he comes back to me.  I'm going in armed with good treats though. 

DOUG ....THE DOG OF MANY BREEDS?

Doug at Turtle Gardens

Turtle Gardens came to town with dogs last Sunday and while I couldn't attend the dog run, that wasn't going to stop me from fostering.  My good friend and fellow foster-er Gloria was happy to go and pick up Doug (not a real hardship for her....because there were puppies to cuddle at the dog run).  I met up with Gloria and Doug on Sunday afternoon and my first impression of him, of course was how darn cute he is!  He was curious about everything and was friendly and happy to meet me.  He was a little nervous of some of the new sights and sounds but that did not stop him from exploring.  My first assessment of him is that he is affectionate, smart, attentive and confident. 

Doug at the dog run (awesome pic stolen from Piper)

He rode home in the truck crashed on the dog bed.  He'd had a long drive in from Topley and he settled in for the last leg of this journey to his foster home.   When we got home he drank a bit of water and was given the guided tour on leash.  He had a quick bath which he tolerated very well, was bundled into a dry towel and had a nap on the couch while I cuddled him dry.

After that, he was happy to see the toys come out and I discovered that not only does he have zero issues having toys taken away, but he prefers to have me hold the toy while he plays.  No growling, no moments of hesitation when I reached in for a toy or a bone....he was just happy to play.

He has been sleeping very well through the night and has found a couple of spots on my bed that he likes.  He can sometimes take a bit of coaxing to settle down for bedtime as the act of getting into bed gives him a second wind for playtime.

Photo by Piper

He rides very well in the vehicle, I haven't heard a peep out of him at home or outside except for one bark when he saw something move across the parking lot.  He is walking quite well on leash so far and he greets new people with interest and a wagging tail.  He watches most things that you do with great attention, like he's memorizing the steps in case he has to do it himself. 

He seems fairly mature considering he's still quite young (approx 7 to 10 months old?) but he does show his puppy/teenage nature when it comes to being playful and also when it comes to seeing a little piece of string sticking out of a dog bed, or a rug etc.  He is being a good boy and is easily distracted when he mistakes the edge of a rug for a toy.  I have been able to leave him alone for 15 minutes to run into the store and he just stayed on his bed in the truck and waited and also I left him alone for a few hours tonight and he didn't make a peep when I walked away.

His first day of dog daycare went well.  He preferred to hang out with the people and asked for cuddles, but on day 2 he found his groove and was playing with other dogs.  On day 3 we were waiting our turn to go inside and another dog approached and Doug play bowed to see if he could get him to play.  He knows daycare is about playtime now.

Here's a pic of Doug at daycare (thanks to Playful Paws for snapping such a great pic)

Now back to the question in the title of my blog.  Yvette originally told me that Doug was Pug/Chihuahua.  I can see those features - Pug in the shoulders and tail and Chihuahua in the kinda apple shaped head, in the ears and also in his 8 pound size. For the last 5 days I have seen other possibilities - Papillon, Boston Terrier in the face, Corgi in his fluffy fur on his hind legs, King Charles Cavalier in his coloring and also in the face.  No matter what breeds make up this little dog, he has the softest fur ever and the most endearing personality.  People who meet him do ask that as the first question though....'what is he?'.