FLOWER'S ONE MONTH UPDATE

Pretty Flower!

Flower has been with me for one month and she has come a long way since she arrived.  She is bonding with me and she has become more and more playful.  She is very quirky and they are finding this at dog daycare too.  She play bows for just about everything....all with a little wag of her tail.   She's really a sweet dog with a gentle nature.   I haven't been blogging much about her for a couple of reasons.  I've been busy tending to a nasty cold and that hasn't been inspiring me to write much but also because it has been unclear to me what kind of home Flower needs.  Without my help at home she will pace and remain unsettled, wanting to go out the door and hunt the rats and squirrels that she knows are passing by my place with high frequency.  A walk will help to settle her for a bit and so will some games or play time with toys but then she stops and goes back to the door.   She doesn't do this at dog daycare.  In fact she really doesn't do any sniffing from the truck to the door at daycare.  I don't think she associates her time there with hunting whereas at my place my door goes straight to the outdoors and little critters that she can smell have just run by.  She gets excited to get out there.

Searching for little four legged friends on the long line.

This has been leading me to believe that she might be better in a home with a job, or for sure in a home with someone that will give her the mental stimulation she needs.   She needs the mental work more than the physical.  She is not an off leash dog for the city, as her hunting nose will carry her wherever she needs to go, which could put her in danger on the roads.   So, how to keep her satisfied in the city has been the question.

Before Turtle Gardens decides to send her up North to find a more rural home she is going to move to another foster for a bit to see if she behaves the same.  If she can move to a home that offers her some different choices in a different setting will she relax into city life better?   I hope so.

Running back to me when called.

She has no issues with city things like heavy traffic, lots of people, city noises.   I've walked her down No 3 Road in Richmond and she navigates through everything with a very relaxed stride.   I've taken her on trails, to dog parks, on city walks and she has no issues.  Although if we go to the school field and she sees a squirrel she lays down and doesn't want to budge from her spot.  She learned a few weeks ago though that I will pick her up and plop her back on her feet so she now mostly saves herself from that by moving along when asked to.   

Here's a video of Flower with the Aikiou dish.  On her second try she had all of the compartments emptied in 4 minutes.  I suspect she would keep getting faster and faster.  I've tried her on a few other dog puzzles and she remains interested for quite a while until she figures it out.

A couple of final pics just to show that she does know how to enjoy her comforts once she's ready to settle in for the night.   She has 'her' spot on the couch.  If we're playing she can actually throw her body up onto the couch sideways instead of jumping up head first.  I'll have to try to catch that on video.  She has a way of making you believe she's not as agile or quick as she actually is able to be. 

EXCITING NEWS

The daycare staff told me this morning that Flower was trying to initiate play with a couple of dogs yesterday.   Of course she would have to pick a dog three times her size who is less than interested in playing with her.  That was probably the appeal.   She is coming along very well.  

On our walks at night I have her on a long line and she is pretty good about not pulling.  She is mostly on alert, observing everything.  I stop from time to time and she comes back to me and is happy to be petted.  By the end of our walk she alternates between walking next to me and walking and sniffing things.   Today is recycling/garbage day and all foster dogs love that!   So many containers with so many good smells. 

I have only heard her bark once and that was on our second night together and she was restless to be outside.  She is a very quiet and clean girl inside.  She's sleeping through the night and I think she understands the schedule and is relaxing.    More pics to come when Flower doesn't know I'm taking them or when she seems less concerned about the camera. 

THINGS THAT SQUEAK

Flower is among a small group of dogs that come to foster and are ready right away for the toy basket.

She'll play for short periods with a few different toys, but loses interest quickly.   In other news, she did better at daycare today.  She found a spot to lay down and soak up some sun and was more relaxed but still not very interactive with other dogs.   We stopped at the local shopping strip on the way home and walked around people, cars, sliding doors, etc and she did very well.  She is not phased by very much. 

At home she has been a bit restless in the evening, before bedtime, but it seems a walk helps with that.  I think she is actually pretty tired from all the newness but is resisting settling. Change is hard!

SPRING FLOWER

These Turtle Gardens dog names always leave me with such good blog titles!
 

Flower at Turtle Gardens

Flower is a very special little dog. She came to town and attended three days of the Pet Lover Show at the Tradex and then I picked her up Sunday night. She looked bigger in her picture so I was quite surprised to see how little she is. She’s about knee high and has a coat for -19 weather so needless to say she’s found our Lower Mainland early Spring weather a tad warm. I see some shedding in her future.

Waiting for a treat...

She comes across as shy but maybe reserved is a better word. She has so many new experiences ahead of her and I suspect she will take it all in with a watchful eye. She has a steady temperament....she is a river that runs deep. I have never fostered a Karelian but have seen how they behave when they have come down on prior dog runs. They are planners and are very smart. Flower is no exception. She was hunting pack rats up North and upon arriving at my place she quickly zoned in on the path the rats take around our building. I have a large field across the street from our complex and the rats travel along the front of our building at the fence line. She can’t wait to get out there and sniff them out. It seems she has a very good sense of smell and her hearing is sharp. I think she relies on those two senses more than eye sight even.

She is easy to walk on the leash and jumps in the truck and rides nicely....laying down the whole ride. She has not embraced dog daycare but I’m hoping she finds some enjoyment in it by the end of the week when it is more familiar. I think I will need a bit of time with Flower to determine what type of home she would like. Does she want/need to hunt or will she be happy to adapt to being a city dog with different goals? She is enjoying affection and after a day was coming to me to be petted and today she has started to be playful.

She likes dehydrated chicken treats and will give you a cute tail wag and she takes them so gently.  I have brushed her a bit and she seems to enjoy it.   I will write more in the coming days as I get to know her.