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!

HERE IS WHATS UP IN THE DOGLESS FOSTER HOME

I can't imagine that anybody would be reading my blog but not reading the Turtle Gardens blog, but just in case, here is a link to my 2011 Foster Blog that I submitted - click here.  I am so happy with the comments that I received on this blog.  In a computer based world you don't always know who is out there reading so I appreciate that people took the time to let me know they enjoyed what I wrote.  

Last week, on New Years' Eve, I went for a walk with foster moms Denise and Michele and we had seven dogs with us, including two TG foster dogs - Scotty and Charlie.  "Hey...was I invited as an extra leash holder or what?"
 

Scotty :  "Can we go yet?...We don't need leashes...honest"

 

Scotty briefly loses his off-leash privilege for getting too rambunctious.

 So even when I don't have a dog I still find my dog-fix elsewhere. 

In other news, I have heard from Spot (Jack) 's people and he is doing REALLY well.  They assure me there is a great update with pictures being sent to Turtle Gardens very soon.  I can't wait to see how the little guy is doing.   My friends at curling were talking about him last night, saying how he was quite easily the cutest dog they've seen me foster so far.   But honestly I think people forget they said that about the last one too. 

I won't say too much about this....but I hear from Yvette, that one of my fosters (from more than a year ago) is in the market for a brother or sister from Turtle Gardens.  I can't wait to see who they pick. 

It's a New Year and my first foster is already lined up, but that won't be until at least the end of January.

GRAELEE - PICTURE UPDATE

Graelee is now called Zumba (for all her energy).   Here are a few pictures of her - two at the office and one in the car:

I think she looks pretty content with her new life!!

SPOT HAS BEEN ADOPTED

A really nice family came to meet Spot last week and there was instant chemistry.  The kids are 8 and 3 and they threw a ball for Spot and he continued to fetch it back to them.   They walked him outside for a bit and he was very well behaved on the leash.   And so...he went home yesterday just in time for Christmas.  He was not a Christmas present for anyone, just a great addition to a young family.   I called them today and they report he is doing really well.  Spots new name is Jack (very funny don't you think considering his best friend was Jack at Turtle Gardens?).  I think the name suits Spot quite well and its a secret tribute to his good friend that he was rescued with.   Apparently he has been for a couple of walks already and does all his business outside and slept through the night really well.   The perfect new roommate.

Since I'm dogless now, I won't have as much to blog about, but will try to add something occassionally until I get another foster dog, possibly at the end of January.  

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!

SPOT GOES TO SCHOOL

Is it a magical time of year?  Or is it a big drain on your time that has you wishing the time away and getting it over with?   I think Christmas is great, if only it could be just one day of the year and not the 1 month, packed malls, more traffic, more eating and drinking than anyone should do kind of 1 month holiday.  I find it funny that for a holiday that everyone loves, people are sometimes cranky and mean spirited with each other over that same event.   That is until you take a cute little dog like Spot and walk into shopping central in Richmond (aka No. 3 Road) and then you see the serious shoppers who are rushing around take a moment to smile.  People melt and light up when they see a dog, a bright Spot in their day they weren't expecting.   Dogs are the true magic of any season!!  (...especially TG dogs right?)  Spot has the cutest look that people are drawn to...if someone looks directly at him his ears either press back or perk up inquisitively and that tail starts going.   He looks right at you with his gorgeous hazel/amber eyes.

So, the reason for my lead in to this blog is a way of getting to why I haven't blogged much. I have been busy.   Dinners with TG friends, a Christmas party, Christmas lunch, last night of curling with Christmas dinner, etc etc.   Lots of outtings with little time on the computer.   And now, 5 days later I can post my pictures from my visit to MacNeill School with Spot.  We went last Wednesday to see Yvette make her presentation and for the rescue club to have one more TG dog to meet.  An adoptable one at that.  

To open up the presentation Wayne, who runs the group, got on the microphone and barked into it to catch everyones attention.   There was a speaker overhead and Spot kept looking up at it for quite a while afterwards, maybe trying to figure out if the dog was in that large black box suspended from the ceiling.  


Spot - watching the speaker on the ceiling

Spot did really well in the school and during the presentation.  He was a little stressed at the beginning - panting a bit, but he soon settled.  He was very well behaved the entire time.  He is good with the kids, especially since they had just finished a hot dog lunch and there were pieces of bun to be found between the auditorium seats.   I passed his leash a few times to some of the students so he could visit a little while Yvette talked and then he went to see this guy at the front of the stage area.  Here he is giving that soulful stare...the one he gives to people he is comfortable with.  

Jim's adopted TG dog Lola was also a bit of a stage hound during the presentation.  Going to the end of the leash to get in on the action. 


Prior to that Lola had a special moment when she went over to visit with Yvette before her speech.


Lola remembers her TG momma Yvette



Spot watching Yvette.




A quick glance back to check in with me.



In the hallway - Lola, Belle, Mya, Lacy, Misty...oh ya and
their people at the ends of the leashes. 



Mya's mom Jude tells me that taking the camera out of my pocket
and holding it up may as well be a juicy dog bone...and Mya jumps up
in excitement to demonstrate, just as I went to take her picture.

 

On further investigation she looks a little disappointed
 to confirm it is just a camera afterall.



Jim's dogs Lola and Misty with a big stress relieving yawn.

The presentation was great!  A good experience for little Spot, giving me a chance to see how great he is with kids of varying energy levels.   It is also alot of fun taking a dog into a school as you get alot of attention from the kids who are surprised and excited to see dogs in their hallways. 

On another note, the picture that I posted at the top of this blog was used on Spot's Petfinder profile and the stats jumped up with double the visits to his profile.  It also prompted about 6 or more applications and inquiries.   What a popular little dude and what a difference a new picture can make!

"Ain't I cute?'

FINALLY...THE BEACH



"Okay...I'm ready for my close-up now"

Last weekend we finally made it to the beach.  Spot was great off leash.  He would come right back to me whenever I called him.   He is friendly with other dogs, although he can sometimes be a little hesitant with some of the more excited-in-your-face dogs.  He found a few dogs to run around with but mostly just explored the beach and stuck nearby.  

Saturday looked quite misty/rainy outside when we headed out the door so I gave one of the foster jackets a try on Spot. I have tried the jacket out on many a foster in the hopes of keeping them dry in the rain, but either a dog likes a jacket or they don't.   Sometimes they act like their in an alter-universe where dogs can't walk with jackets on.   But, not Spot, he seemed to hardly notice the jacket.  And, it looked good on him too!   (I hope Maureen, who shared her pack's jacket photos on the TG blog, reads this blog and sees my little guy dressed up - room for another one Maureen?)

On Monday and Tuesday nights this week, I had dinner plans and Spot won himself front cab priviledges in the truck.  He has shown no signs of chewing anything inappropriately and no sign of any separation anxiety.  Which actually surprises me a bit for such a cuddly sometimes clingly little dog.  It was cold out and I piled up the dog beds and blankets in the front seat.  He has a good thick coat of fur and really seems unphased by our Lower Mainland climate so he was quite content being snuggled up while I was inside having dinner.

He is such an easy dog to have around in any and every situation, and that especially includes how he did at McNeil School today.   I have some good pictures of the event and will share those in my next blog.