MEAN FOSTER MOM

I took Sail for a long walk last night to Minoru Park.  If you've ever been in Richmond and wondered why there aren't many people on the streets ...well I've found out why.  Everyone is busy walking around the track.  There must have been a hundred people doing the circuit.   

We were halfway through our walk so Sail was quite happy to lay down and watch everyone walking by.   There's nothing like a pretty dog to make people smile and she got alot of admiring looks as people passed by.  

After we left the track we walked back through the park and when I saw the horse statute, I hate to admit it but I kinda, sorta knew that Sail would not like it AT ALL.   So that's exactly where I took her.  She started barking at the horse from about 20 feet away and no matter how close we got she still barked her head off at him and lunged on the leash AND...of course was all talk, no action.  When we went right up she tentatively sniffed the horse's leg and still kept looking up at that head and barking.  The horse is life-size and she wanted nothing to do with it.   I made her lay down next to it and we checked it out from all angles.  Just when I thought she was accepting of it she started barking again.  I took her back to the horse and kept asking her to pass under it, around it and even held her up higher to inspect the face and she finally was okay with leaving it without having the last word.   Dogs are so funny!

"I'm laying next to you...but I don't trust you Mr. Horse"

I must have a bit of a sick sense of humor because if that horse had come with a remote control to move him even an inch when Sail was barking at him, I wouldn't have been able to stop myself from hitting the forward button.  It's quite different to have a foster dog that is so playful and can take a good joke without getting too scared.  I've had my share of shy guys that I still would have taken up to the horse but it wouldn't have been just for the fun of it.

...A CHANCE TO SAIL AWAY

So many options on how to use this dogs name in blog titles...I'll be sad to see her go for that reason (as well as many others).   I took Sail to see an applicant on Wednesday.  They live on the Island but had come into Vancouver for a couple of days so they got to meet the pretty girl.   They want to adopt her!  A home visit will help assess the match and if all goes well she will be back on a Ferry again.   Sail has been on the Ferry 4 times already in a few short weeks...so she knows what its all about and one more trip to a good home will be great.  

Last night Sail squatted on my living room carpet.  This is the first real accident I've ever had with a foster dog.   I've been so proud of my track record.    This seemed odd for her to do this as she has been perfectly clean for the week and a half that she has been here.   Her urine had an odd odor to it and then today when we went to drive to the dyke to go for a walk she peed in the back seat of the truck and slunked down looking all ashamed or guilty.   She wasn't in trouble last night and she wasn't in trouble today.  I don't get mad for things like this.  You could tell she really didn't want to have done this.   She has a bladder infection...so off to Dr. Ubi we went.   He checked her over and I took her outside to catch a sample.  She was accommodating of this because she had started peeing quite a bit on our walk earlier.  No blood in the urine and a mild infection...says Dr. Ubi.   While we were waiting for the results of the urine sample a small dog came into the waiting area after a good grooming and because Sail couldn't get up to him she started to bark and whine a bit...well the vet assistant put an end to that when she came over and took Sail's temperature.   Lets just say....distraction in the front and action in the 'end'.   Ha ha...that kept her quiet for sure.  She tolerated it well and was then a bit busy trying to figure out what had just happened back there.   She was finally able to greet the little guy and she was just fine with him.  

So we came away with 10 days of antibiotics and will make extra trips downstairs to the grass for Sail to go a little more often if needed.   The medication should kick in quickly and help her feel more comfortable.

SELF-ENTERTAINING

This picture is Sail.  It hardly looks like her...it looks more like it might be one of her pups.   She was running and having so much fun tonight and I will show you why after you see a quick video of what, to me, is pretty darn good recall considering I haven't been working on that with her and also that she had a pretty good sniff session going on at the time.  She runs so fast to get to me and runs past a bit, turns around and comes right up to me to check in.



While we were walking across the field I found a golf ball in really good shape.  I guess someone had brought a bucket out to practice and couldn't find all of them after they were hit.   Sail is very playful so I threw it for her expecting her just to run after it and want to chew it....well....



the ball is actually in mid-air in this pic....she kept tossing it up to play



SAIL SEES SECHELT BY THE SEA SHORE

So, I wrote my previous blog based on my first impression of Sail and that good impression hasn't changed but I have learned more about her in the last week.   She picks up on the energy around her and matches it.  If she sees excited dogs she gets excited.  If that dog is little and it's very excited, the way only little dogs can get...with crazy scrambling energy, it sometimes will trigger something in her that is not the same thing that has her pulling on the leash and vocalizing when she sees dogs playing off leash at the beach.  

We went down to MacDonald Beach on Saturday morning and she was crazy with wanting to play with other dogs as they ran and bounced and fetched.  I can't blame her but she was a little over the top and I assume this is because she is used to having her freedom, not being attached on the leash to a human who doesn't want to go chase other dogs.   The thing about Sail that is so good though is that she is smart and does want to please, so once I was able to snap her out of her excitement she listened quite well and calmed down and was able to sit and stay relaxed.   This was no easy task though.   At first I wasn't really expecting it and I kinda lost my patience...not good by any training manual's standards.  Once I had a chance to think about it though I tackled it like any other problem.  Step by step, slowing the activity down and repetition of asking her sit only for her to stand again and then sit and stand and repeat about 10 or so more times before she realizes I actually will persist in asking her to sit.  By the end of our walk she was much easier to control when she saw other dogs on leash and I had a plan so I stayed relaxed too.  It was as much of a training session for the human as for the dog and equally exhausting for both.

On Saturday we went to Tisol as TG had a table set up to promote Turtle Gardens dogs that are up for adoption.   She was well behaved and received much admiration from everyone.  She loves the attention from strangers...no shy dog here.  At one point a customer came in with a cat in her arms and I'm not sure what Sail's intentions were but she sure pulled to the end of the leash fast and furious.  She also got overly excited about a few little dogs that were the scrambling excited kind I mentioned earlier.  She was hard to settle but a while later another little dog came into the store and she was relaxed and happy just to sniff and had an excellent greeting.  

On Sunday we went over to Sechelt for Father's Day and Sail played well in my Mom and Dad's back yard with their dog Ralph (an Airedale).  They played rough but seemed to have fun.  We went for a walk down the hill to the beach and then back up and by the time we got to the top Sail was pooped.   At the Ferry terminal in Langdale she was great with every dog that we met including two or three litte guys.  When we headed home she slept the whole trip away and finally discovered the comfort of the Kuranda bed at home once we got back.   She really crashed hard after a whole day of new experiences.


On our way back up the hill in Sechelt,
with the water in the distance


Having pointed out some negatives from the weekend, I want to say that I have seen a huge change in Sail in just one week.  She is learning that I'm the boss and that I will follow through with anything that I ask of her.  She will even spot the rabbits in my neighbourhood now and with one or two 'leave it' commands she won't even look in their direction.  I have been doing some really fun clicker training with her and she picks it up so fast.   She is playful when you ask her to be and calm and relaxed otherwise.   I purposely did not take her for a walk one night other than just for a pee break here and there and she was content just hanging out.   She aced her first day at the regular dog daycare and dogs and staff really liked her.  She even found a good play buddy.

She is alot of fun and she has been a challenge in a very good way for me.  It is very rewarding when you see results so quickly.  I think she has potential to do so much and her only limit will be how much or how little her adopter asks of her.  I think she could do agility or freestyle really well but if someone wanted her to just be their walking buddy...she'd be okay with that too.

Here's a video clip that shows how fast she can run.  Tonight I gave her the first bit of freedom that I could by piecing 4, 20' leashes together.  Man, can she ever run.  Her recall was really good too, especially  considering we haven't been working on that.   She ran to me so fast if I whistled for her and by the end of our walk her tongue was hanging out the side of her mouth.

...and in slow motion.  I love how she checks me out as she whips past

…AND ON TUESDAY, A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR A SAIL

Sail came down on the last dog run almost two weeks ago and she was not the right match for her adoptive family.   She was taken to Emily who had agreed to try fostering Sail to see if she fit in with her ever-growing foster pack.  Well the energy match wasn't quite right and her fosters and Beckett are a happier dynamic without one more dog who maybe wasn’t sure how she was going to fit in and where.   Sail has experienced so much in so little time.  She was spayed recently, travelled down with all the dogs on such a long journey and was shuffled into the barn (awaiting the trip to the Island) where she immediately tried to take over everything.   She had been picked on up North so this behaviour was baffling but was probably bourn from a stressful drive and the absence of those who did the picking.   She showed what seemed like some prey drive with little Spot who was at the dog run and in her adoptive home, we’re told, she approached a small dog inappropriately as well.  

So, off to Emily who said she was playing a bit rough and had guarded the food dish from humans…and this was all on the first day.   Emily said she started to improve after this as she settled in but still was unable to take a chance with Sail and get to the bottom of these new issues as their landlord has a small dog and they just can’t jeopardize a good rental situation, especially one that allows all those foster dogs…for which some TG dogs have enjoyed on their way to good Island homes.  

Sail came over on the Ferry on Tuesday and my plan was to see what she was like by spending a few days with her and then look at flying her back up North.   Well, it only took 1 day for me to phone Yvette and say that I was pretty darn sure that she would be staying with me and not coming back up.  She has more to gain from the one on one time that I’m happy to provide and quite frankly she is awesome!  She is pretty, and affectionate and funny and playful.   She has energy but with help and guidance she can be very relaxed and calm.  

On Wednesday she went to a kennel that has daycare which is not my usual daycare.  I took her to  this particular one because they have the option of kennels with runs and the group daycare atmosphere…so if she was not fitting in well with any other dogs they could give her some space on her own without calling me to say ‘she can’t stay’.  Well they took her in with other dogs and she was fine.  No small dogs around but she played well with everyone and the staff thought she had a very nice personality.   We went for a walk after work to the dog beach and being game night we practically had the place to ourselves.   She enjoyed the walk and went pretty quickly from pulling on the leash to walking like a pro.   She needed regular reminders at first – she would pull and I would stop dead in my tracks.  She is a very smart girl and figured out that she needed a loose leash in order to keep moving forward.   She did however pull at the leash when we passed people. 

"and I'm not even pulling my hardest"

'oh...okay...loose leash, I get it now"

She seems very drawn to people and wants to go meet them.   There was one nice couple walking past and they stopped to say hi and remarked a few times about what a nice sensitive dog Sail is.   The man gave Sail a cookie which she dropped to the ground to chew on it and he bent down to pat her on the head while she was eating it and all was well.  Our 1 ½ hour walk seemed to be enough for her.  She came home after that and slept the evening away and one last cruise around the block for a final pee at the end of the night and she tucked in next to my bed and slept all night. 

The daycare commented today that Sail was playing quite nicely with everyone and she was matching the energy level of the other dogs.   She will go to my usual dog daycare on Monday and we can get going on a normal week.  I like both daycare locations but one is closer and I have a longer relationship with them and I believe they have more dogs there too.

When Sail first came home with me on Tuesday it was with a clean slate, free of everything that I had been told from the last week.   I did however make some alterations to how I usually do things so I would not set Sail up to show me any bad behaviours.   She came through the door to my place and was walked on leash around my home to check everything out.  She was shown the water dish and the dog bed, etc.  Toys were not left out and I have selectively introduced some over the last few days.   She showed much excitement about food being brought out for her dinner and she was not given a scrap until she was calm and sitting or laying down.  I hand fed her for the first day and the next morning and on Wednesday night I used clicker training for each and every handful of her dinner.  She did not lose interest and she caught on to the current task which was complete eye contact, even with the clicker and food held in my hands extended away from me.  She is super smart…a fast learner.   I now sit on the floor and place handfuls into her bowl and she is fine with me petting her and touching her mouth while she eats.   She has been given nothing without earning it and she seems to appreciate the boundaries and is doing well.   I even have a dog bone perched on the edge of my coffee table and she has learned it is off limits.  It has sat there for a day and a half with very few corrections made.  

For those who read that last sentence and thought I was
correcting the dog bone from leaping off the table...I was in
fact correcting the dog from taking it ; )

 I think she is absolutely beautiful and she makes me want to do the best I can to help her find the perfect home.   She just needs someone to understand her, create trust and help her be even more than the good dog she is already. 

WARNING:  The length of this blog is completey indicative of the level of affection I already have for this dog.

THAT WAS FAST

Leo was adopted today.   He will be a Salt Spring Island resident and has a big brother of the four-paw variety.  I can't imagine a better life for a dog like Leo than living on an Island with lots of beaches.  He really did come to life when we went to the beach yesterday.   He will live with a very nice young couple and I've asked them to send an update so we can see how he's doing in a bit.   Be a good boy Leo and say hi to Bekka when you see her on the Island.

Nash also went home today with Sherle.  She came right from the airport to pick him up and he was very excited to see her.  They had only spent 4 short days together from his adoption date to when she headed up North for the CAAT program but he knew his Mom right away when he saw her.  

 

I love new unions and happy reunions!

Sometimes you just don't get the camera going soon enough.
Leo and Nash had just started to play.

SUNSET AT THE BEACH

I took Leo and Nash down to the beach at sunset tonight.  Dogs really seem to like the sand.   Leo was a bigger fan of the water than Nash - actually wading into the water to the tops of his toes....scary stuff.  Being there with all the new smells, the water, the sand and other dogs really made them happy.  At one point Leo even initiated play with Nash.   Given enough time I'm sure they would play well together.   I had each dog hooked up to each end of a 40' training leash.   That's a full time job just trying to keep them from getting me tangled up but they had fun with a bit of extra freedom so it's worth it.  I felt that both dogs would have been okay off leash but it's only been a week since they came to town and once I think they're ready I usually wait just a bit longer.   Leo meets his potential adopter tomorrow and Nash goes home to Sherle.  

Happy at the beach.

I had to catch some video footage of Nash walking alongside me looking up to check in.  Who could resist adopting a dog that looks up at you like that hey.   He's a very photogenic pup.  Sherle really scored when she adopted this little guy.  



I love catching a picture like this...looks like he's running
down the beach with his eyes closed.



MY FIRST WEEK WITH LEO

This week has not been a typical first week of fostering.   Usually I have lots of time to do lots of things with a new dog, but my time has been split in multiple directions lately.   Helping a friend in Tsawwassen for a few nights and visiting a family member in the hospital with a broken arm and so on.   This doesn’t seem like a very exciting start for Leo but I suppose from his eyes there were still a lot of new experiences packed into there.  The funniest thing so far was his reaction to an empty crab shell on the beach.   It was upside down, exposing the sharp spines and while the smell drew him in the spines scared him off.  He kept moving forward and back, afraid of it but tempted.  He finally gave up and carried on down the beach with me. 

He was slow to warm up to me in the first couple of days.  He was friendly but was uncertain about my intentions when I moved near him or by him.  He now comes to me more easily for affection, but is still slightly reserved.  I assume reserved for his permanent home who will have the privilege of seeing his full personality unfold as he bonds totally.  He is a mellow guy and is such a sweetheart.   He is also very easy to have around.  He sleeps when riding in the truck, has been okay being left alone for an hour without a fuss and is quiet and clean at home.   He walks well on the leash and is starting to ‘check-in’ with me more when we’re walking.   He has had some of the rabbits in my neighbourhood run right in front of him and has resisted the urge to chase with a simple ‘leave it’ command.  

He is friendly with people and is gaining confidence in greetings with new people and new dogs.  He is great with the dogs at dog daycare but hasn't figured out for sure if dogs coming towards him on the street are okay or not.  His guard hairs rise up like a porcupine but then he relaxes quickly when he sees all is well. 

Most dogs get going with regular meals after the first day.  Leo was not eating much for the first few days but finally started to eat most of the food put down for him.   I think he would possibly pick a different food if given the choice. 

On Wednesday night we went to pick up Nash (previously Lucas).  He came down on the TG bus run last Sunday and Sherle adopted him after taking both Lucas and Toast for a spin around the parking lot.   Lucas was ‘the one’ and he went home with her and started his new life.   Sherle was going up North to the CAAT Program and hesitated to adopt but I reassured her I would look after whoever she adopted.  And so Nash left a resistant Sherle on Wednesday (she didn’t want to leave her new buddy) and will stay with me until Sunday night.   Leo and Nash pretty much ignore each other because they are so busy sleeping off their hard days at dog daycare.  Both dogs have been to Playful Paws and are absolutely wiped at the end of the day.   Nash went to ‘pint-sized dog daycare’ which is down the road from the regular daycare.  It’s very nice to have the option of both locations.

'I smell rabbits, do you smell rabbits?'

'I can see them way down there'

Notice the loose leash as Nash checks out the rabbit 20 feet away ; )

Nash - Crashed

While driving back from the hospital tonight Leo was behind the front seat laid down and Nash was in the front seat, also laid down.  So far both dogs travel laid down the whole time.  But tonight both sat up at the same time.   They can't see each other and they both sat up for about a minute then they both turned in the same direction and flopped down facing the same way on their beds, laid in the same position.  It was completely synchronized and man did I ever wish I had a video camera on them.  Dogs are always finding ways to make us smile.  

p.s. Leo is meeting a potential adopter on Sunday.

LEO HAS ARRIVED

From fluffy white dog to smooth coat in a matter of a short period.  I first thought Leo looked alot like Kibbles who I previously fostered but now that his undercoat has disappeared I'm not sure who he looks like.  He has his long guard hairs and some longer tufts left on his hind end.  He has a shorter nose and cute little flopped ears.   His tail is bobbed and he hasn't let me take a good look at it yet to see if it was docked or if it is naturally bobbed (I'm not sure if I could tell the difference or not though).   His tail does remind me of Kibbles though.  He has a sweet, shy, gentle personality so far and walks on a loose leash although he cuts in front of me quite a bit and doesn't seem to care if I walk right into him.   I went to a friend's house last night to drop off some silent auction items to them from the Gala on Friday night and he was good with their dogs and he layed at my feet.  He is tenative to receive attention but is warming up quickly.  

On Saturday, before the dog run, I had a little overnight guest.  Spot is going to be fostered in North Vancouver and I really had to hold myself back from taking Spot as well as Leo.  Spot found an instant place in my heart and she made me smile at all her cute little ways.  She is cuddly and is friends with everyone and everything and sticks nearby off leash and is such a great little buddy.  She will be fostered in the same home as TG pup Genoa and a few other resident dogs and will have someone home most of the day so that will suit her just fine.

CHANGE IN PLANS

I spoke with Yvette today about the dogs that were being loaded for the trip to the Lower Mainland and decided that Leo would be a good foster for me this trip.  Hopefully Mattilyn can come some time this summer instead as she would benefit from a little more time to steep at Turtle Gardens.   When Leo arrived at Turtle Gardens Yvette told me they had a white version of Kibbles who I fostered a few dogs ago.  Same body shape, same beautiful temperament, but just lacking all the color of Kibbles.  That brought a blank canvas to mind and then thought Leonardo Da Vinci for a name....and so he became Leo.   So we have Leo adventures and pictures to look forward to, starting Sunday.  

UPDATE FROM WHITESPOT AND MY NEXT FOSTER

Did you see the update from Whitespot's adoptive family?  If not, please CLICK HERE to see all the pictures and the write-up that they sent.   He was so happy to see me on Saturday when I went to their house to finalize the adoption but he also seemed very relaxed and happy with them.  I liken it to when kids show off their classroom and their kindergarten teacher to their parents.   Whitespot would come to me for affection but then go and lean up against Robert and Helene as if to tell me how much he likes his new family.  He is bonding quickly with them because they are spending so much time with him.  They have already taught him new things and have established a good balance of boundaries, fun, and affection.

My next foster will be coming into town on Sunday.   Here are a few pictures of Mattilyn taken at Turtle Gardens....


  

Arrival at Turtle Gardens...heavily matted





After some TLC and a good grooming.



A more recent picture of a pretty girl with lots
of character in those soulful eyes.