~ Willow ~

Willow pUpdate

2012-01-23T20:31:00.000-08:00

Today was a big day for Willow. She got to run free at the dog park, and she was A Very Good Girl. At one point she was puttering along with a group of seven dogs, so I was very proud of her.

Willow has also met lots of new people without any fuss. She now seems to like men more than women, and is happy to accept pets from anyone!

Barking is the behavior we still have to work on - our house isn't the best for that problem. Ginny knows she's not supposed to bark, so she says, 'mff!' very quietly. But it's enough to get Murphy going, and that gets Willow going and you'd think the world was ending but actually a squirrel just ran up a tree in the yard.

Over all, Willow is just the sweetest little girl, and her confidence and manners are improving every day.

Willow Being Willow

2012-01-23T20:30:00.000-08:00

Captain Simon

2012-01-23T20:20:00.001-08:00

Simon loves all the dogs ... except Willow, who made the mistake of trying to chase him.

She has since decided that was a bad idea, but it's too late. This is from today - each time Willow tried to come out of her crate, Simon leaned over the edge and said 'ssssssssst!' I would have felt sorry for her except that ... well, she kind of asked for it.

The Exorcist

2012-01-23T20:15:00.000-08:00

Maybe this explains Willow's behavior ...

But no. She was just scratching with great gusto!

Willow Doing Laundry

2012-01-23T20:13:00.000-08:00

She does love her jackets (she has three now) but she likes them to smell like a REAL dog jacket - none of that sissy stuff!

Willow and the Baby Gate

2012-01-23T20:08:00.000-08:00

We have the gates up when Baby Olivia comes to visit, and only Ginny can leap over them. I was calling Willow and she was bouncing on her back legs like a little circus dog. If I were more technologically advanced, there would be a video! But I'm not and there isn't, so you just have to imagine it.

Willow and Iggy: Looking for Bunny Poops

2012-01-23T20:05:00.001-08:00

What Murphy and Willow do all day...

2012-01-11T09:43:00.000-08:00

... when they're not sleeping, eating, walking or (sometimes) fighting. Yes, alas, they do fight because Murphy is just as temperamental as Willow, and both of them:
1) like to hump.
2) don't like to be humped.

This puts a chink in the fun and games because sometimes one or the other humpee loses patience. No blood has been drawn and they both look puzzled when pried apart, as though they were just playing an innocent game of trucks.

Willow rarely growls at Ginny, Iggy, Simon and Alfie now and they've all worked out their relationships with her. From this foundation I'm hoping to break Willow's habit of exploding into Biff the Tasmanian Devil-Dog.

In the meantime, everyone is safe and happy because Biff is 98% noise and P. H. Don is holding up well.

Three's a Crowd

2012-01-04T18:38:00.000-08:00

SCENE 1
Willow: 'I think I'm going to get a snuggle!'

SCENE 2
Willow: 'Sniff-sniff.'
Alfie: 'I'm having a bath. Go away.'

SCENE 3
Willow: 'Sniff-sniff-sniff.'
Alfie: 'You're in my space.'

SCENE 4
Alfie: 'You're in my space AND you're irritating. I'm going upstairs for a nap.'

SCENE 5
Alfie: 'Okay, you can lay down there, Willow. Just don't touch my tail.'
Murphy: 'Do you ever get that feeling you're being used?'

How it Works

2012-01-02T07:40:00.000-08:00

There's no magic to helping a dog like Willow, but there are some basic foundations that really come in handy:
1) a well-behaved existing pack that includes humans, dogs and at least one cat
2) a willingness to be bitten (and take other risks)
3) an open mind about training methods
4) lots of walks

At our house, we have:
1) Iggy the Keeshonden, who barks for help when small dogs or puppies come near him;
2) Ginny, the world's best foster mom, who knows instinctively how to respond to each foster;
3) Murphy the King Charles-Pekingese who is dense but loving; and
4) Alfie and Simon, cats who think dogs are just more toys.

It also helps that Patient Husband Don, as much as he complains about 'too many animals', is wonderful with them. Both of us work at home quite a bit so we rarely need to crate the fosters. We also have a collection of teenagers who come and go without making a fuss over the animals.

For dogs like Willow, I try to establish three understandings right off the bat; I love you, you can trust me, and I am in charge. I do give them more love than is recommended (okay, I baby them) but I also turf them off my lap the second they show a hint of aggression. For the first day or two, dogs like Willow are never off the leash unless they're in the crate, and the leash is attached to my belt loop. I don't invite them to come with me - I just do whatever I want to do and they have no choice but to follow. This also means they're always close by and can be corrected instantly.

I try to keep them tired - long walks, off-leash whenever possible. And then whatever brings out their bad behavior is what I expose them to. If they tend to run away, I drop the leash (a very long one so I can step on it or have someone else step on it). I reward them every time they come to me (but I don't try to 'catch' them) and soon they'll come each time I call. If they fight with dogs, I take them to the busiest dog park I can find and correct them each time they try to lunge. If they bite when being handled, I cut their toe-nails (or maybe just one) and as soon as I cut one without a bite they get a treat and then we're done until next time.

This is all much easier with small dogs, because you can physically control them and they can't kill you. Also, small dogs tend to become attached to a human very quickly and then they won't bite you no matter what and you're safe to interrupt any behavior.

I read a lot of dog-training books because every dog is unique. Sometimes I break the rules because I just feel like it's the right thing to do. Willow, for example, 'should' sleep in a crate on the floor or in another room because she has 'aggression' problems and should never feel like she's the boss. But she's so nervous that she barks if she hears a sound. So she sleeps borrowed into our blankets and if she hears a sound she says nothing at all because she's well hidden and right beside me. She has also bonded with Don (who she should be be afraid of) because she shares his den. I think that once Willow has more confidence and realizes she isn't in charge, she'll be able to sleep anywhere without a fuss.

Oh, I did take away Willow's 'babies' (little stuffed toys). It was cute to watch her, I admit - she carried both of them at a time and would curl up in her bed and tuck them in. But I think it also encouraged her sense of needing to protect something which is what I want to correct. Maybe I'll give them back at some point, I'm not sure yet.

And that's about it. I have no use for dog professionals who try to discredit other dog professionals. I believe everyone has something to teach. Short of cruelty, I will do whatever it takes to make a dog feel loved, happy, confident and Not the Boss.

Diamond in the ruff-ruff! Ruff! Grrrrrr! Barrarrrarrr!

2012-01-01T11:46:00.000-08:00

So here is Willow, the foster dog that wasn't meant to be because I adopted Murphy, which meant (and I quote): 'This means absolutely no more fostering! None!' But poor little Willow was a very naughty girl and I couldn't resist her.

So now she is in a continuing education class called:

You are Not a Trained Assassin. You are a 12-pound Terrier Cross with Watery Eyes and an Under-Bite.

Day 1

When I picked Willow up, she launched herself at my legs and feet with great ferocity. But most telling and touching was her accuracy - not once did she make contact with skin; just shoes and pant legs, which tells me she really doesn't want to hurt anyone. She's just trying to scare things away. And after about 10 noisy minutes, shegave up and trotted out the door with me as though we were old pals.

Our first lesson was a walk with Ginny, Iggy and Murphy. She immediately dived at Ginny and Iggy, who gave her one of those 'Are you serious?' looks and trotted off. But she seemed indifferent to Murphy (perhaps because he is smaller and also likes to attack big dogs!) I dropped their leashes whenever there were no dogs around, and Willow stayed close to either me or Murphy all the time.

Day 2

Willow and Murphy had one very noisy battle over who was the Most Precious of Pets, but it was all noise. They have now learned to share a human lap with each other and both cats without incident, which is good for Murphy too!

And Willow is wonderful with cats - very respectful. They wander all around her and lean into her with no response except a bit of turning away. She is also very happy and friendly with girls and children, and I don't have any fear of her biting a child.

Day 3

Willow has met 11 new people so far, and still grrrs slightly when strange males (large) approach her. But even when she was at her most ferocious I could put my hand over her mouth and she wouldn't bite me. She seems to watch the other dogs and follow their lead (and they mostly just nap).

Last night, I let Willow burrow under the bed covers and sleep snuggled up beside me. You're not supposed to do this and I don't recommend it. But I have to test my theory that den-sharing helps fearful dogs bond with and develop confidence in their pack leaders.

Yeah ... that's it.

Given how far Willow has come in a short time, I think she will soon be ready for adoption. She will need a confident and loving pack leader so that she can just relax and be the happy little doggie she's meant to be. I wouldn't rule out other dogs either - she's quickly learning that it's fun to be part of a pack if you don't try to eat them. And anyway, there are a LOT of dogs in the world! Way too many for one little terrier to look after.

Willow and Murphy

2012-01-01T11:38:00.001-08:00

Willow, Muprhy and Alfie

2012-01-01T11:37:00.000-08:00

Willow, Murphy, Alfie and Simon

2012-01-01T11:35:00.000-08:00

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

2012-01-01T11:34:00.000-08:00

On-set Nap

2011-01-02T18:07:00.000-08:00

After I made them pose, I couldn't find Sal. Until I climbed half-way up the stairs, that is... apparently she likes goose-down duvets!

Sal's favorite chair

2011-01-02T18:06:00.000-08:00

Best Buddies

2011-01-02T15:00:00.001-08:00

Big Beautiful Girl

2011-01-02T14:58:00.000-08:00

Sal in full snuggle mode

2011-01-02T10:52:00.000-08:00

The foster dogs love it when Jessie comes to visit. She makes them feel so loved that everything bad that's ever happened to them disappears.

Sal and Demitri

2010-12-27T13:28:00.001-08:00

I told someone I was fostering a greyhound cross and a dachshund. She said, 'who would cross a greyhound with a dachshund?'

Well, I think they make a cute couple!

Did someone say 'treat'?

2010-12-27T13:27:00.000-08:00

Balancing

2010-12-27T13:20:00.000-08:00

With those long legs, it's pretty easy to tip over on the corners. But she's learning. And today was the first day she jumped into the truck all by herself.

We took a different route for our walk, and on the route is a tunnel going under 14th street. Sal began to slow down as soon as she saw it, and ground to a complete halt at the entry. It took quite some time to get her to the half-way point of the tunnel, and then she would have flown out the other end if she had wings. For the rest of the walk she was skittish. When we got to the truck she leaped in without hesitation. Anything to get away from that tunnel! So we'll go there for our walks each day until she forgets about whatever was worrying her.

The Greyhound Run

2010-12-27T13:17:00.000-08:00

Now that she's figured it out, she can go pretty fast. It keeps her from being cold - although so far she's only worn her jacket once (because I keep forgetting to put it on). I think she steps on the leash less often when she's at a full run too, because it flies in the air behind her.

Not that she has endless energy - a walk/run in the morning, and Sal is a couch potato for the rest of the day!

The Christmas Addition

2010-12-25T15:48:00.000-08:00

Sal, 8 months old, is our newest foster, and she's settled in very quickly - thanks to Demitri!

She didn't want to come into the house, so Demitri went down the stairs to say hello. She followed him in, and after about 20 minutes of sniffing rooms, corners and dog bums, her tail got its wag back.

She and Demitri slept in crates on the main floor. She was quiet, but Demitri yipped his protest every five minutes. After about an hour, Don got up, leaned over the rail and yelled, 'Hey! Shut up and go to sleep!' And there wasn't another yip the whole night through.

Neither Sal nor Demitri really know how to play, it seems. Demitri chews on her neck or her back leg and Sal looks confused. But I think they'll be good for each other. This morning, both of them were in my lap. Demitri learned that grrring for attention just gets him booted off the couch, so he contented himself with sharing the snuggles.

Sal is very friendly with people and she got lots of pets on the walk today. She even jumped into the truck by herself at the end - although I had to climb in first and bribe her with a treat!

Sal is a Pawsitive Match puppy, ready for adoption - well worth checking out if you're a greyhound fan. She's very sweet.

pUpdate

2010-12-22T09:35:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know - I've been neglecting this blog. I don't have Baby with me anymore and I have switched to another blog so that her information stays here.

For current foster news, see http://www.123puppyspot.blogspot.com/

Baby News

2010-11-13T09:14:00.000-08:00

Here is Baby in her first coated outing. This was in between two of the many times her legs popped out of the leg-holes and had to be put back in. Nothing a safety pin won't fix.

Baby has been with us for three weeks now. If I had to describe her personality in one word, I would say ''worried'. But very gradually, she is calming down. Following is 'all about Baby' in case you are considering adopting a sweet little chihuahua-dachshund.

Sleeping
Until a few days ago, Baby's bed was a crate beside the human bed. You know that sound old men make before they spit? Baby would make about 20 of those every morning when I let her out of the crate, all the while bouncing up and down, wagging her tail so hard it was just a little black blurry thing. This is only cute the first few times, so one night I left her in the x-pen on the main floor because she was fast asleep inside her fluffy blanket. She was still excited to see us in the morning, but there were only three old-man noises, and now she doesn't make them at all.
Of course Baby's favorite place to sleep is in the human bed. She burrows her way all the way to the bottom and doesn't move until morning, when she creeps up to the top for a snuggle.
During the days, she naps in her x-pen under the fluffly blanket, or (if there's anyone on it to curl up beside) on the couch.

Food
She thinks every bite of food is going to be the last one! I make the dogs sit quietly while I get their dishes ready, and Baby is a challenge. When I say 'stay', she sinks to the floor and creeps away. She will circle the perimeter of the room on her belly, trying to find a way to get close again without me noticing. This morning we started food training. I put a dish of human food on the floor beside her and told her to leave it. She crouched and trembled and whimpered for about ten minutes, and then finally sighed and laid down beside it. But we have to keep working on this one.
She is quite protective of her food - not with people, because I can put my hands in her dish or take the dish away and she doesn't react. But if other dogs come near her (and by that I mean into the same room) she will grrr at them. She sometimes has food left over, and will leave her dish. Ginny, waiting patiently, will head over to finish it off and then Baby races back to protect it. She may be hungry later, you see!

Other Dogs
When Baby first arrived, she was very quick to grrr and snap at other dogs - they all frightened her. But she's met so many of them now that she's learning to sniff butts and be normal. She will still 'snap and miss' sometimes, but so far they all just blink at her. I think they sense that she's not dominant. She's very happy around dogs she knows - she and Ginny play like puppies for long periods of time, racing from room to room.

Strangers
Baby will grr and snap at strangers who immediately reach out to her, and even at me if I grab her suddenly. But this is fully a fear reaction (I suspect she has had a bad experience in the past). If you let her approach and sniff on her own time, she'll be your best friend in less than 30 seconds.

Walks
Baby's only concern about walks is that it might be too cold. But once out there, she's in her glory and forgets all about shivering and worrying. She's even learning to play with Ginny's friends instead of running away from them. She loves to sniff in the tall grass, and sometimes has to be retrieved. But if you have her attention, she comes immediately when called - on the run, as though she hasn't seen you for weeks. For walks around the neighborhood, she loves to have the leash put on and can barely stop bouncing long enough for me to find the loop on her collar.

Housetraining
She's house-trained as long as you take her out regularly. If you don't take her out, though, she will go from looking worried (which you may not notice because she so often looks worried) to finding a place to pee in the house. She sometimes needs coaxing to go outside, but I make her go anyway and she'll always pee even if she doesn't really have to.

Baby needs a non-excited human to help her stay calm, and one who will not 'baby' her. She is developing confidence slowly, and is a most loving little pal who will always be happy-happy-happy to be with her human!

2010-10-31T17:11:00.000-07:00

Camera Shy Baby

2010-10-31T09:40:00.002-07:00

What a silly girl. She was cuddled up inside her blanket with just her head poking out, half asleep. So cute. I very slowly reached for the camera, because she is all the way across the room, and really - why would she mind???

It takes me a few seconds to zoom in and focus, and during that time Baby, in slow motion, stood up, turned to the side and slunk under the blanket. I'm sure her tail was between her legs.

For some reason, this dog does not like cameras!

But I bought her a new jacket last night at the Misty Creek silent auction. So I pulled her out from under the blanket and put the jacket on ...

The New Jacket

2010-10-31T09:40:00.001-07:00

Notice my feet holding baby on the chair. The more you tell Baby to stay, the more she tries to crawl into your arms for comfort.

As good as it gets.

2010-10-31T09:39:00.000-07:00

I finally got her to stay without holding her there. But notice those sad brown eyes. And notice that her legs are no longer through the leg holes, because this is after I have stuffed her back into the chair and the jacket about six times. But I won. Sort of.

Baby learning that dogs are good

2010-10-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

Baby is nervous around strange dogs, probably from having to look out for herself more than a little dog should have to. So I've been throwing her into the middle of them as often as possible. She's come a long way from Day 1, as you can see ...

#1

2010-10-26T21:12:00.001-07:00

'Okay, fine. I will walk with Iggy as long as you promise it will just be Iggy.'

#2

2010-10-26T21:11:00.001-07:00

'Hey! This doesn't look like Iggy! Who is this? What's going on here?'

#3

2010-10-26T21:08:00.000-07:00

'You're a big fat liar.' (Baby/Tibby, second from the back in the right-hand row.)

Tibby the Whirligig

2010-10-23T15:24:00.000-07:00

Baby arrived last night after flying from Texas. On a plane, of course, but if she had even the tiniest of wings she would have been able to fly here on her own power. What a bundle of energy!

The first thing I did was pick a new name for her - one that sounds like 'Baby' but isn't, because she isn't a baby, and she bit my thumb. This is nothing to worry about - after a traumatic day, a strange hand reaching into her crate was just too much. By the time we got home, Tibby's tail was wagging so hard it just about shook her little bum off.

Her first experience in Canada was to watch the Rangers beat the Yankees, which made her tail wag.

She slept in a crate with less than a minute of whining, and this morning I let her up on the bed for another nap. She snuggled into my armpit and kept right on sleeping.

We went for a walk with resident dogs Ginny and Iggy, and I let her go with the leash dragging. She stayed right with us except when she decided the airplane passing overhead was chasing her. I had to send Ginny to round her up and bring her back. But she'll get used to airplanes, and also to all the big dogs that worry her.

Who's Yer Baby?

2010-10-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

I keep the cushy part of the crate by my computer so foster dogs can sleep in it while I'm working. But Ginny, usually very independent, likes to make sure she's always the most Special of Dogs. So here is Ginny curled up in Baby's bed...
And here is Baby. She is inside the blanket I put on the floor for her after Ginny stole her bed. She nosed around and found her way inside of it all by herself. As it turns out, Ginny is the Baby but Baby is the Innovator!

Toby has been adopted...

2010-10-09T14:28:00.000-07:00

... in record time - three days.

Which didn't surprise me, because he was such a precious little guy. He was adopted by the perfect family. When they came to meet him the first time, he trotted out the door with them as though he had been theirs all along. He was just as happy to see them the next day, making it one of my favorite adoptions.

Next is Baby, who arrives on October 22. I am giving Don a 2-week break - a real sacrifice for me!

If you are interested in the Don conversation, here it is:

Me: On October 22, Baby is coming. I have to foster her because in her photo you can't even see her tail. That's how much it wags.
Don: Ah. I knew there would be a good reason.

Baby is a Dachshund cross, and we haven't fostered a Dachshund yet. That's another good reason.

All About Toby

2010-10-05T16:08:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know I say this about almost all of them. But Toby is a great little dog - quiet, loving and content. I think he's not more than about a year old, 11" tall, 20" long and 17 pounds. This is in case you're wondering whether or not he'll fit into your family life.

He's comfortable with other dogs and with cats, neither submissive nor aggressive, so they are relaxed around him. He doesn't show much interest in playing with dogs though. He would sooner play with toys or be cuddled by humans

He will be very attached to his humans. He brings his food to me piece by piece so he can chew it beside me instead of in the other room by his dish. He still has some puppy silliness - he climbed into my lap while I was driving, saw his reflection in the window and scared himself half to death. And when I pick him up, he tips over backwards as though he's used to being carried like a baby.

Toby isn't completely house trained, but he'll figure it out soon. It's dawning on him that he gets a CH! when he pees in the house, and he doesn't like that at all. I think he may not have lived in a house before.

He also doesn't know any of the basic commands, such as sit, stay and lay down. He thinks everything means 'come'. That's why his photo is a close-up. As soon as I'm out of arm's reach he follows me.

And that's all I can think of for now. Toby is an awesome little guy with all the good traits of a small breed and none of the bad ones. And on top of that, he's pretty darn cute.

Heeeeere's Toby!

2010-09-26T18:26:00.001-07:00

I don't have him yet, because he's not here yet. But he will be soon, and I can't wait to scoop him up and snuggle him. Look at that beautiful, worried little furry face.

I haven't shown this picture to Don. I think he would observe that this is the expression of a dog who has just pooped on the carpet.

snifflesniffle*

2010-09-25T17:34:00.001-07:00

Little Carrie has been adopted. It was quite sudden and unexpected, and I wasn't prepared to let her go as it turns out. Especially when she kept looking back at me in her little doggie language saying, hey... what's happening? Where are they taking me? Why aren't you coming with me? I thought you were my mom. Hey! Hey!

Oh well. I'll just have to think about something else. I love them all, but little dogs break my heart.

Carrie the Fashion Queen

2010-09-15T15:56:00.000-07:00

Poor little Carrie! She licked her spay incision until it got infected (not because she's a bad girl, but because it was just So Bothersome!) So the vet gave her a cone to wear.

Where is that cone? you might be asking. Well, I asked Carrie that very thing, because she had it off before we were even out of the vet's parking lot. It's gone, she said. It was just So Bothersome!

So here is Carrie is wearing one of my old shirts, which covers up the spay incision just fine. She doesn't seem to mind it as much as the cone, and it only looks half as silly.

Carrie - mid-snuggle

2010-09-11T10:36:00.000-07:00

When she's not in her chew-on-your-arm puppy mood, Carrie loves to cuddle. If she could talk, you would hear her saying, 'Up! Up!' as she bounces around your legs.

Ginny, Ginny's Toy and Carrie

2010-09-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

Carrie and Ginny

2010-09-06T14:21:00.000-07:00

Today was Carrie's first complete off-leash walk. She had to cover quite a distance. Most dogs look back to make sure you're not too far away, but Carrie runs back, circles our ankles and then dashes away again.

If you could see this picture close up, you'd have to admit that Carrie just isn't the cutest dog in the world no matter how hard she tries. But she is definitely one of the sweetest. When we feed her, she even runs to find us between bites - just checkin'!

Last night I let her up on the bed while I was reading. Don said, 'I don't think she should be on the bed. With her ticks.' Well, he was just being picky because she doesn't have ticks anymore. She only had the slight remains of toxic tick-poison-shampoo. But I thought it best not to mention that. Carrie was so happy she chewed on my arm like a puppy.

Little Carrie

2010-09-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

It turns out that Cary is not a boy, he's a girl. So I've spelled his name 'Carrie', which is more girl-like. S/he's also much smaller than I thought she would be - 5.09 kilograms, or just over 11 pounds.

Even though she looks sad, she is definitely not. If you're looking for a happy, trouble-free little dog, this is a good one. As long as you don't want her to be beautiful and look like a girl.

Carrie is just learning English, and she gets her commands mixed up. For example, 'Sit!' means 'Bounce!'; 'Off!' means 'Bounce!'; and 'Down!' means 'Bounce! Bounce!' But she does recognize the universal 'CH!' sound, which makes her stop whatever she's doing and drop to the floor.

Her three favorite activities are (in this order): snacks, walks and snuggling. She follows her human from room to room all day long. At each stop, she curls up and goes to sleep - on the floor if necessary, and in your lap if possible.

This morning I thought I would be Cool Dog Woman and remove the four ticks who traveled with her from Cabo. I read the instructions and sterilized my tweezers.

You are supposed to squeeze and pull ever so gently until the tick gives up and lets go of the dog. Sounds easy, right? Well, it is, but only until the tick beside the tick you're squeezing moves. Then you have to not throw the dog and the ticks across the room and the contents of your stomach up.

So off to the vet we went, and now Carrie is tick-free.

Next.

2010-09-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

You see how these things kind of creep up on people.*

I was not to foster unless I'm home during the day. But then for a couple of weeks Don was away and the rule was accidentally broken when I took little Sai in (only because he had nowhere else to go).

Now that Sai has been adopted, I find again that I am longing for a foster dog. We need a spare dog, I told Don. We have a spare dog, he said. Ginny is a spare. No, I said. Iggy and Ginny are a pair. A third dog is a spare. *sigh*, said Don.

I am watching a little brown Schnauzer. He's not in Canada yet, but he will be soon and I don't think he has anywhere else to go. So maybe this weekend we will have a spare.

*Don

Sai pUpdate

2010-08-25T19:27:00.000-07:00

Sai has just gone off, happily bouncing along with his new mom and dad, wearing his new red collar and leash. There is a 10-day trial period, but if all goes well, he has been adopted!

Hooray for Sai!

I will miss him. Don, in an equal but opposite proportion, will not miss him.

Are you a wiener tree???

2010-08-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

pUpdate on Sai

2010-08-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

Sai is coming along in leaps and bounds and snuggles.

Leash: He now comes for the leash with no treats and no darting away. I call him and put him on the leash two or three times during each walk and then take him off again. He barely notices anymore. I still keep treats with me on most walks just in case. Although I had to take cheese yesterday because the kids ate all Sai's wieners.

Biting: No bites in sight. I don't think Sai will bite anymore unless he's cornered or frightened in some way. He's very responsive to gentle handling, and just a loving little dog. He especially likes men, which is not a good thing in our house because he wants to snuggle with Don.

Crate: Still great in the crate, although about every 3rd night I let Sai sleep at the end of the bed. I think it's good for pack bonding. Don does not like this. As the Alpha Male, he gets his way 2/3 of the time.

What's that you say?

2010-08-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

I am as beautiful as a flower???

What do these clouds look like?

2010-08-22T07:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so they're not clouds. They're Sai examining Iggy going pee in the back yard at night. Don't ask me how the picture turned out this way. It just did, and it's far nicer than the real thing.

2010-08-13T19:26:00.000-07:00

Sai is teaching me a lot.

At first, I thought he didn't listen very well. For example, when he was outside and started barking at something, I would call him to come in. He wouldn't even look at me. So I would call him again in a sharper tone, and he would either continue what he was doing or run away. During one such event, I called him once and then just stood there, thinking, 'what the hell am I going to do with this little shithead?' and I realized he was also just standing there at the far side of the yard, looking at me intently. And then he suddenly ran to me like a puppy.

It turns out that whenever I ask Sai to do something, he has to think about it. It's as though he's deciding whether or not he's in trouble. If he is, he turns away and goes to SaiLand, where no one can catch him because he's as fast as a speeding bullet. And besides, he can always use his teeth if he has to. But if he's not in trouble, he comes running.

I think this is what Sai needs to be a good dog - slow, patient and gentle. It might take him a while, but he does listen and he doesn't think about biting. He still barks when he hears something frightening (like the sound of a slipper touching the floor or a fly buzzing). But I think he'll improve when he begins to realize that only good things happen to little dogs named Sai.

I don't think he'll bite anymore either, as long as this method is used with him. As the days go by, he's becoming so much like a typical little shitzu that it's hard to think of him as anything else. He is just such a happy little guy. I chose the picture of him running in the field because that's what his personality is like.

Getting him to let me put the leash on when we're out walking is a work in progress. Yesterday, I put the leash on him and walked a little way, and then gave him a treat only when I took the leash off. That worked three times, and then he figured it out and went back to playing Catch-me-if-you-can. I refused to join in. As soon as he darted away, I walked on and ignored him. He was very disappointed, and on Try #5, he let me put the leash on. And today, he accepted the leash twice with no treats. So we're getting there!

Sai will be a great pet for someone. I secretly don't care if no one adopts him, as always. And (also as always) Don secretly wishes someone would adopt everyone who has fur.

My happy little munchkin

2010-08-13T19:15:00.000-07:00

Ginny and Sai

2010-08-13T19:11:00.000-07:00

"Ach! This wind! I can't do a THING with my ears!"

2010-08-13T19:09:00.000-07:00

Sai the Invisible Tub Dog

2010-08-13T19:02:00.001-07:00

Sai is never far away when I'm getting ready for work in the morning. He gets to come up on the bed for a snuggle, and when I go into the shower, he plops his little self down outside the door and waits. But every once in a while, he disappears and I find him in the bathtub. So here is Sai's bathtub story.

"What are you doing in there, Sai?"

2010-08-13T18:37:00.002-07:00

SAI: "I'm just standing here."

"What do you want?"

2010-08-13T18:37:00.001-07:00

SAI: "I want a bath. No, wait. I want a drink. No, wait. I want attention. No, wait. I want all those."

"Well, I think you should come out."

2010-08-13T18:36:00.000-07:00

SAI: "Well I think I am Sai the Invisible Tub Dog, and I can't hear you."

Why, yes! I would like a piece of wiener!

2010-08-07T09:26:00.001-07:00

It turns out that Sai likes wiener more than he likes to play Catch Me if You Can.

I took his leash off as soon as we got out of the car this morning,and Sai came to me and let me hold his collar every single time I asked. I didn't even bother putting his leash back on, because he would stand on his head if he could for just one more piece of wiener.

One down, two to go!

'Hey... hey... hey... are you mad at me?'

2010-08-07T07:03:00.000-07:00

Sai has enrolled in a third class called Not Playing Catch Me if You Can.

On last night's walk I took his leash off because he wanted to play in the creek. That led to my discovery of Sai's favorite game.

He came to me each time I called him. He lay down in front of me each time I said 'Sit'. But as soon as I reached out my hand, he bolted. He was having way more fun than he should be having.

The thing about training dogs (for me) is that it's trial and error. You just keep trying new things until you find the one that works.

1. I started walking. Every time he zipped past me I turned around and walked the other way. I thought he would eventually get tired of going back and forth.

2. I got tired of going back and forth, so I sat down and ignored him. His circles got smaller and smaller until he was right in front of me, bounching back and forth, barking, 'Catch me! Catch me! Come on, just try itI Try it! Look how close I am!' I lifted my hand, and ... you guessed it.

3. I got Ginny and Iggy to lie down beside me and we all pretended Sai was invisible. He lay down right in front of me, head between his paws, looking for all the world like a sad little orphan. Until I moved my hand.

4. I decided I would sit there all night if I had to, and until he climbed right into my lap I would ignore him. Iggy started to make his little 'Woof! Woof! I am unhappy! This is not ordinary procedure!' noises. I ignored him too.

5. Another human came along. Silly Sai forgot about the game and went up to her to be petted. She slipped her hand under his collar and that was that.

So now I have all my dog books out. I'll have to buy more wieners because Sai doesn't like any of the five kinds of dog treats and the one kind of cat treats I bought to temp him with. But one way or another, I'll win.

To adopt Sai ...

2010-08-04T17:58:00.001-07:00

... visit Pawsitive Match - over to the right, under 'related sites', you'll find a link.

And speaking of adopting Sai, he is learning so quickly to be a good boy. He's already crate-trained, leash-trained and house-trained. We're working on two issues - barking and biting. But don't let that scare you off. With just a little more time he'll be his true sweet self.

Barking: He's used to guarding his den by making a lot of noise when someone new comes in. We're teaching him that if he barks he has to stay right where he is, but as soon as he's quiet he gest to go and say hello.

Biting. This is an interesting one. I felt his little teeth the first time I told him to do something he didn't want to do. But it wasn't an 'I want to hurt you!' bite. It was an 'I don't want you to hurt me!' bite. He only tried it once so I had to find something that would really set him off. It turned out to be his toe-nails. He bared his teeth each time I touched them. So I got out the clippers, Sai got out his teeth and we went to war. By the time it was over, all his toe-nails were cut. I only had one owie and Sai had a little piece of wiener in his tummy for each toe-nail he let me cut without pulling away or biting.

My goal is to get him to a point where he won't bite no matter what, and I think it won't take very long.

Irresistable Sai

2010-08-03T22:16:00.000-07:00

Okay, this is the scoop: I'm not supposed to foster while I'm working full time outside the home. That's because patient husband Don works at home, and (and I quote), "I can't get any work done when blah blah blah."

So now I'm working outside the home, full-time. But I keep checking the websites and reading the e-mails. I pretend I'm going to foster certain dogs, stopping just short of the [ENTER] or, as it's known in my house, the [DANGER! DANGER!] key.

A couple of things happened that got me off-track. First, Don has been out of town. And then I kept seeing Sai on the website and one thing led to another and, well ... here's my little buddy.

I mean, really ... how could I have been expected to resist? Have you ever seen such a beautiful face?

"Here is gorgeous little me!"

2010-08-03T21:15:00.001-07:00

"Do you think my feet are on the wrong feet?"

2010-08-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

A little ball of Not Fluff.

2010-08-03T21:06:00.000-07:00

Sai's After-Bath Old-Man Bum

2010-08-03T21:02:00.000-07:00

This little guy kills me. He's funny from every angle.

To anonymous...

2010-05-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

... who asked, 'Who's coming next?'

Well, that's a good question and I hope whoever it is comes soon. I'm suffering from self-absorption and moping and I have the sniffles.

What I would like is another little tiny black chihuahua with brown eyebrows who plays like a cat and likes to ride in my pocket. But I know that rescuing dogs isn't about what the humans want so much as it is what the dogs need, so we'll just have to see.

Do you suffer from ...

2010-05-27T12:08:00.001-07:00

... self-absorption? Moodiness? Unnecessary worrying? Obsessive concern about cleanliness? Boredom?

Foster Puppies may be just what you need.

Taken regularly, they will prevent time for stewing about things that can't be corrected by stewing.
No more laying around in the morning, unable to face the day! It takes only one Foster Puppy to get you out of bed and cheer you up.
You will never again be controlled by a need for perfection. You will be satisfied with seeing puppy poo before you step in it.

Can't take a big one? Don't worry! Foster puppies come in all sizes!

Say this part really fast and in a cheerful voice:

Foster Puppies are not for everyone. Possible side effects are:

sadness and weeping on adoption days.
a desire to hide the Foster Puppy and deny that you took it.
addiction. A s soon as one is gone, you may feel an uncontrollable urge to to take another one.

Talk to your favorite Rescue Organization to see if Foster Puppies are right for you.

Yes, this means that Pocket is going to her new home, and I'm in my last three hours with her. I'm just trying to cheer myself up.

Pocket the flower puppy

2010-05-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

We took Pocket out to the country on Sunday. She slept most of the time, because when it's cold outside the best place to be is inside someone's shirt. What a little darling!

Pocket 's big adventure

2010-05-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

Well, I thought Pocket was on a big adventure. In fact, she was looking for a private place to poop. She finally found one behind a leaf (private places for Pocket don't have to be very big!)

Pocket and Uncle Pete

2010-05-26T11:15:00.001-07:00

Pocket and Aunty Deb

2010-05-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

Pocket and Murphy the Camping Cat

2010-05-26T11:09:00.001-07:00

Pocket: 'What's your name? What's your name?'
Murphy: 'Never you mind. Just be glad I don't like mice.'

Jack the Cat says ...

2010-05-21T12:19:00.000-07:00

"I don't know what you are, but I think you need a bath."

Our Little Peanut

2010-05-19T07:24:00.000-07:00

Gillmore has been adopted, and Gem is in the process of adoption. In the meantime, a glove has sacrificed its fingers to keep her little feet warm.

One of those amazing moments ...

2010-05-16T17:50:00.000-07:00

I can't remember who took this picture (the big one at the top), because we were both working with the same camera - it could have been me and it could have been my sister. Both of us are likely to lay claim to it for the rest of our lives, so this is my one and only admission that it may be Kathy's.

Either way, it's special. It would make a beautiful painting, but there's no need to paint it because it's perfect the way it is.

pUpdate

2010-05-14T10:50:00.001-07:00

Little Gem had to go back to the hospital for a couple of days, but she's doing awesomely well now and will be discharged today to do more growing!

Gillmore is the sweetest little dog ever. He's so sweet that I've been letting him sleep at the bottom of the bed. Not on top of the bed, either, but under the covers. He likes to snuggle with our feet, and he only comes out when he needs to go pee. On car-rides, he jumps onto my shoulders and stays there until we reach our destination.

Both puppies have potential forever families, and we are very happy about that. Especially Don, who has been developing a worried look. He knows when I'm falling in love with a puppy!

Gillmore and his Baby Maggie bed

2010-05-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

Gem and her hoodie bed

2010-05-14T10:47:00.002-07:00

Gem and her slipper bed

2010-05-14T10:47:00.001-07:00

Baby Maggie and Gem

2010-05-14T10:46:00.000-07:00

Gillmore fits in where he can!

2010-05-14T10:43:00.002-07:00

This started with Don watching sports. Then Gem climbed up onto his arm for a nap (Don does not snuggle puppies). Then Gillmore decided he needed a nap too, but there was no room left on Don's arm... except for Gillmore's little chin!

Megan and Gillmore

2010-05-14T10:43:00.001-07:00

All about Gem (Pocket) and Gillmore (Rocket)

2010-05-11T13:54:00.000-07:00

All right, these two have to be the cutest little things ever. We call them Pocket (because she loves to sit in places like pockets to watch the world go by) and Rocket (because he can climb onto the couch using his claws (just like a cat) and when he wants down he rockets himself off with no hesitation.

The little girl, Gem-Pocket, is still recovering from her airplane ride, but in between naps she's a fiery little thing. Gillmore-Rocket always wants to play, so he runs madly in circles around her. She puts up with it until he actually touches her, and then she gives him a bark and a snap and he scuttles away.

They will be difficult to part with. They're not like real dogs at all. Pocket likes to snuggle with my daughter, Jessica, either sleeping or watching the goings-on around her. Rocket likes to hang out in the crate by my desk, but whenever I get up and walk away I can hear his little paws behind me. They both shiver a lot, so their little jackets only come off at night.

They sleep together in a crate and are quiet all night. Once they're bigger and stronger (well, once Pocket is bigger and stronger) we'll separate them to prepare for adoption. For the time being, we're trying to fatten Pocket up so that Jack the Cat doesn't conclude that she's a mouse.

Gem says ...

2010-05-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

"Are you my mama?"

Ginny says ...

2010-05-11T12:00:00.001-07:00

"I will speak to you once I have identified your species. Until then, think of me as your Queen."

Gillmore (aka Rocket)

2010-05-11T11:59:00.001-07:00

Why little dogs get to go more places.

2010-05-11T11:58:00.000-07:00

It's all relative.

2010-05-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

We thought Gillmore was tiny until Gem arrived!

Gem ...

2010-05-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

... in her camoflage Warmani jacket warming up her tummy on the printer.

A Conversation

2010-05-11T11:52:00.000-07:00

Gem (aka Pocket): "You sure don't look like a dog."
Buddybear: "I'm not supposed to look like a dog, because I'm a bear. You on the other hand ..."

Cute x 1.5 = Gem + Gillmore

2010-05-10T14:50:00.001-07:00

Gem

2010-05-10T14:48:00.000-07:00

... in her new leg Warmani jacket.

A (shivering) dog's life ...

2010-05-10T14:43:00.000-07:00

2010-05-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

"If you think it's so cute, why don't you wear it?"

Resistance was Futile

2010-05-09T18:21:00.000-07:00

And who can blame me? Look at that little face!

I did well for five days after the last of Maggie's litter was disbursed, and while I was painting walls I thought I might have had enough fostering. I even turned down the first request. But the paint was still drying when someone asked me if I could take Gillmore. Don visibly sighed (you know, where your shoulders kind of droop because you know there's no hope?) He didn't say anything though (because of the hope issue).

I picked up Gillmore this morning. He's a chihuahua-terrier cross. At 8 weeks, he weighs about 2 pounds but he's a sturdy little fellow who will have strong legs and tons of personality. His first lesson started today: no grrring at the big dogs while he's eating! That's the only lesson he's had so far except that it's nice and warm inside people's shirts. Tomorrow, we'll spill him out onto the floor to find his place among the rest of the pack.

Gillmore's little sister, Gem, is recovering from puppy jet-lag, and then (I hope!) she'll be coming to join him. Fingers crossed!

For information about adopting Gillmore or Gem or many other adorable little mutts, visit http://www.littlemuttsrescue.org/adopt/index.html

For more information about Toph...

2010-02-18T09:02:00.000-08:00

Go here ... http://www.123puppyspot.blogspot.com

Ready for a Walk!

2010-02-15T09:02:00.001-08:00

Even though they look sleepy here, they stayed awake for the whole walk. Just too many things to see! When we got home, I made them come outside and help me clean up the yard. Their job was to chew on sticks, and they were very good at it.

~ Willow ~

Willow pUpdate

Willow Being Willow

Captain Simon

The Exorcist

Willow Doing Laundry

Willow and the Baby Gate

Willow and Iggy: Looking for Bunny Poops

What Murphy and Willow do all day...

Three's a Crowd

How it Works

Diamond in the ruff-ruff! Ruff! Grrrrrr! Barrarrrarrr!

Willow and Murphy

Willow, Muprhy and Alfie

Willow, Murphy, Alfie and Simon

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

On-set Nap

Sal's favorite chair

Best Buddies

Big Beautiful Girl

Sal in full snuggle mode

Sal and Demitri

Did someone say 'treat'?

Balancing

The Greyhound Run

The Christmas Addition

pUpdate

Baby News

Camera Shy Baby

The New Jacket

As good as it gets.

Baby learning that dogs are good

#1

#2

#3

Tibby the Whirligig

Who's Yer Baby?

Toby has been adopted...

All About Toby

Heeeeere's Toby!

*sniffle*sniffle*

Carrie the Fashion Queen

Carrie - mid-snuggle

Ginny, Ginny's Toy and Carrie

Carrie and Ginny

Little Carrie

Next.

Sai pUpdate

Are you a wiener tree???

pUpdate on Sai

What's that you say?

What do these clouds look like?

My happy little munchkin

Ginny and Sai

"Ach! This wind! I can't do a THING with my ears!"

Sai the Invisible Tub Dog

"What are you doing in there, Sai?"

"What do you want?"

"Well, I think you should come out."

Why, yes! I would like a piece of wiener!

'Hey... hey... hey... are you mad at me?'

To adopt Sai ...

Irresistable Sai

"Here is gorgeous little me!"

"Do you think my feet are on the wrong feet?"

A little ball of Not Fluff.

Sai's After-Bath Old-Man Bum

To anonymous...

Do you suffer from ...

Pocket the flower puppy

Pocket 's big adventure

Pocket and Uncle Pete

Pocket and Aunty Deb

Pocket and Murphy the Camping Cat

Jack the Cat says ...

Our Little Peanut

One of those amazing moments ...

pUpdate

Gillmore and his Baby Maggie bed

Gem and her hoodie bed

snifflesniffle*