tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18318397640768474232024-02-06T20:26:21.750-08:00Foster Dog DiariesEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-46843503522918996372015-04-19T11:21:00.004-07:002015-04-19T11:21:38.697-07:00Ruger: Part II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkARknR4xd7Jyj3rqRc9bJB1y6sdEVIbN34cj0Hdhp3z-WjUxt65GwgYnBFbuMlffp-7dwLdz_XKlfkUzzpsboDbDxTDX0SOnIC89DU0GCBQsteMeNiuEnglpyP8TTukhwuiORJvfd9dRJ/s1600/Ruger3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkARknR4xd7Jyj3rqRc9bJB1y6sdEVIbN34cj0Hdhp3z-WjUxt65GwgYnBFbuMlffp-7dwLdz_XKlfkUzzpsboDbDxTDX0SOnIC89DU0GCBQsteMeNiuEnglpyP8TTukhwuiORJvfd9dRJ/s1600/Ruger3.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>After Ruger was signed over, it was time to figure out what was wrong with him. Everyone knows K9 Justice League goes all out when it comes to saving the broken dogs. Instead of being sent home with some dewormer and a few cans of A/D, we prepared to do everything we could to fix him. He had radiographs. Lots and lots of radiographs. We did a barium series. He had a fecal done in house, one sent out to the lab. He was dewormed, put on different medications for various issues, poked and prodded by multiple vets. Ruger had blood work done and fluids given. But after everything, he was still sick. He initially started with diarrhea and a very tender abdomen. The brown baby was skeletal and hardly acted anything like a puppy. He began vomiting. It was extremely difficult to get him to eat or drink anything at times. Then there were days that he'd have a normal bowel movement, start acting like he felt better, and began eating. Then two days later, he was going downhill again. I couldn't understand why he would improve, then decline, improve, then decline. Was I doing something wrong?</div>
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It was love at first sight with Ruger. I was already dreading letting him go to a new home when he got better. WHEN he got better. But he never did. From the beginning, I was convinced that he had an obstruction. It was just that motherly instinct, I guess. Many of his tests weren't indicative of having one, though, and cutting open a 5-week-old, emaciated, sick puppy isn't exactly the first thing vets want to do.</div>
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In the end, Ruger was rushed into exploratory surgery after spending a little under 2 weeks with me. Finally, my sweet boy was going to be fixed. He was going to get better and grow up and be the amazing dog I know he would have turned out to be. He'd hang on to that sweet, selfless personality... but he'd be adventurous and drive-y, too. And, oh boy... was he going to be HANDSOME when he grew up.</div>
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But Ruger didn't get to grow up.</div>
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They found what was making him sick. It was a nylon collar that he had eaten... but the frayed pieces had grown into his intestines. The vets tried to think of every option, but there was nothing they could do. There was no way they could remove every piece of thread and repair every hole in his fragile intestines. So that was it. I got the call from Jessica and had to speak the words I dread so much. "I guess we don't have a choice. We have to let him go." I could hardly speak. Bethany was working that night, and she gave him a kiss and told him that we all loved him before the vet relieved him of his discomfort before ever waking him up from the anesthesia.</div>
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My heart dog was gone. My Little Ruger Boy was gone.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1vZAIKHcG-YKAwe44Hcy43m2Vs3qNQMGGCjIDvDUOmSHveFdIoeM7H62tX6YSBTrHgM0I-DNhltuwfKdksN5Ulhkb8M0mybKTnAVBSN7Lg75ZDSkpjvyIs1xugU2Hr70NMgTKPvGKOd-/s1600/Ruger4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1vZAIKHcG-YKAwe44Hcy43m2Vs3qNQMGGCjIDvDUOmSHveFdIoeM7H62tX6YSBTrHgM0I-DNhltuwfKdksN5Ulhkb8M0mybKTnAVBSN7Lg75ZDSkpjvyIs1xugU2Hr70NMgTKPvGKOd-/s1600/Ruger4.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>I still kick myself to this day for not insisting that he had an exploratory done. But I'm not a vet. He had every test under the sun done. But I can't help from feeling like if I had been more assertive in my idea that he had an obstruction, that maybe he'd still be here today. Perhaps it happened like it was supposed to. That Ruger was only supposed to be in my life for that short amount of time before he left. And maybe he left that way... because that was the only way he could. He was meant to be my dog until the very end, even if that end was only within a matter of a couple weeks opposed to an entire lifetime. I miss that puppy every single day, and I think of him often even though so much time has passed. He was a very special piece of me, and he took a huge piece of my heart that will never be repaired.</div>
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He knew love from many people, and that's what's important. He didn't die in a pen after starving and dehydrating to death. Ruger was surrounded by love at all times, by every person that met him. Because he was just that special.</div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-71189066260443371822015-04-13T16:26:00.001-07:002015-04-13T16:28:51.166-07:00RugerIt was December 5th of 2013. My hands were full... as usual. I had my own four dogs: Brody, Jackson, Lyla, and Paige... and a my basket case of a foster dog, Lu. As if my own dogs weren't enough to handle with a full time job, Lu was icing on the cake. Don't get me wrong, I loved her dearly... but she was a lot of dog., and onn top of that, Lyla despised her.<br />
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I was working at the vet clinic and loading rooms for Dr. Mapes that day. We had a client we hadn't seen come in with a young puppy who was presenting with some sort of illness. He was underweight and weak. The owners couldn't get him to eat. But he wasn't their pet. He wasn't a family member. The brown puppy was the product of their doing; a mix of a German Shorthaired Pointer and a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Bred for some reason or another. I'm not really sure. Maybe to make some amazing hunting dog or something? Or maybe simply to make $300 off each puppy after I discovered their "Puppies for Sale" advertisement on Craigslist.<br />
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As I cradled him in my arms like a baby and stared into his incredible eyes, I could only hope that they would do right by this dog. He was just a puppy. He hadn't experienced hardly anything yet. And it was at that moment that I was staring into his eyes that the woman spoke up, "You want him?" Part of me was caught off guard. The other part was laughing at the insanity of it all. "I wish I could... but I have five dogs at home already." The vet did the exam and offered some options. My job was done, so I left the room before hearing the end result. The wheels in my head were turning. What would happen to him? Would he get the radiographs and medication and care that he needed? The vet came out and revealed that they didn't have the money to spend on expensive diagnostics. He'd be going home with a few cans of A/D and some dewormer. That was it.<br />
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This puppy was going to go home and die. He'd starve to death... or something. And they sure as hell weren't going to bring him back to have him euthanized if that's what it came to. One of my co-workers told me to ask the owner if she had been serious about giving him to me. And I honestly can't remember if I texted the rescue before or after the fact, but I walked to the front text and asked. The woman handed the puppy over the desk... and that was it. He was mine.<br />
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I named him "Ruger", and he was my soulmate. That brown puppy took a huge piece of my heart with him. Most of you know his story already, and I don't have the energy or heart to finish telling it tonight. But I'll continue tomorrow.<br />
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<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-63855700069782662832013-12-25T17:42:00.000-08:002013-12-25T17:42:03.253-08:00"Lost time is never found again."So I spent the entire day hanging out with my dogs... and in my boredom, I decided that I needed to catch up on some blogging. It's now that I realized how long it's been since I've written anything. I have so many stories to tell... yet it almost seems impossible since I haven't written in so long.<br />
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Last time I checked in, I was fostering Posey... because the Lab mix I had originally wanted got adopted. Since then, Posey got adopted within a couple of weeks into an AMAZING home. She is an old Hound with a young heart again and living a spoiled and fulfilling life.</div>
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At some point after Posey was adopted, Hallie, one of my shy girls, was returned to the rescue due to her inability to come out of her shell. I hope I have this all right? After so many dogs, it seems to just run together. One of our former K9JL adopters ended up coming down from Maryland to meet her. She's now living happily in a home with another K9JL adoptee and an owner who understands her shyness issues and accepts her as she is.<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="text-align: center;">Then came Avie. I tagged along to Isle of Wight with NO plans of bringing a dog home. I saw two shy kids that tugged at my heart strings... but they had to stay together... and there was NO way I was coming home with two. Then I saw Avie... an adorable, spunky pup finishing up demodex treatment. Who can't use a little puppy in her life? I sure could. So... despite my attempts to come home without a dog, I couldn't help myself. It wasn't long before this spitfire of a pup was adopted by a young couple that was willing to put up with her puppy antics. She's happy and doing amazingly well in her new home! And I'm pretty sure that her parents are considering bringing another pup into the mix.<br /><br /></span><br /><span style="text-align: center;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAENL8ltzWBX9I5aw91VIDmGUWe6-9ixkMJ43XO2RhAPpO6-Ucy7FnMQcNC3iaQw6niMfTbm_7LMCmKHWMCpGXZBL47ph4G9_6aKMyQjTYBFKPrScblK03EW44fsZNYeDEjtT5ZUhf019S/s1600/Parker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAENL8ltzWBX9I5aw91VIDmGUWe6-9ixkMJ43XO2RhAPpO6-Ucy7FnMQcNC3iaQw6niMfTbm_7LMCmKHWMCpGXZBL47ph4G9_6aKMyQjTYBFKPrScblK03EW44fsZNYeDEjtT5ZUhf019S/s320/Parker.jpg" width="320" /></a>Funny how everything pans out... because around that same time, Jackson... the Lab mix that I had originally wanted to foster before Posey and before Hallie and before Avie... just so happened to get returned by his new owners around the same time. It was meant to be... and Jessica didn't even make me ask. "Go get the records... I know you're going home with him." And that was that. I renamed him "Parker" since there was already a Jackson in the house! He's one of the sweetest dogs I've had... and such a special boy. I'm happy to say that he found an incredible home with a young couple with no other dogs. He gets his nails painted, plays dress up, has his very own bed, gets all the attention he needs, and I couldn't be happier with where he is. His mom brought him to one of our adoption events to visit... and when I knelt down on the ground to give him a hug... I actually started crying. Dogs come in and out of my life all of the time... and I love every single one of them. Some of them, though, are just special... and Parker was one of them. Everything in the universe kept that dog away from me fostering him at first... but we still ended up together. I definitely believe in fate. His owner's sister recently adopted another dog from K9JL... and they already seem to be best of friends!<br /><br />Then Lu came into my life. She's an all black GSD (maybe GSD/Malinois?) that is young and sweet and crazy. My friend actually ended up fostering her for a couple months with the intent of adopting her... but her fear towards men made it impossible for her husband to bond with Lu. Before Lu came back to my house, though, Lyla's littermate, Sadie, came back into the rescue. One of the sweetest ladies I've met... and truly a wonderful dog! I had her for about a month before she was adopted by a family who is related to another one of the littermate's adopters! It was hilarious having Lyla and Sadie here together. Sometimes if I glanced over at the sleeping pile of pups... I had no idea which one was mine... or the foster! She's doing great in her new home, too, and they can't get over how easy she is... other than her leash manners! Don't worry... her sibling, my girl, is no better on a leash! <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anyway, Lu ended up coming back to me since she was having so many issues with my friend's husband. She does have stranger danger issues with men... but it's totally manageable. He was a police officer and would come home at 3am... so it was hard for Lu to ever spend enough time with him to bond. She's all bark and no bite, anyway! I've had my ups and downs with her. She's extremely high energy... and with four other dogs in the house, it's hard to deal with that type of personality sometimes. Lucky for Lu, she's one of the sweetest and most submissive dogs I've ever met. She's still young and still needs to be molded into a model dog... but I'm confident that she'll get there with the right home.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So... five dogs in the house... and I'm at work one day when a new client brings in an 8-week-old puppy that is sick and emaciated. I think part of me, subconsciously, wanted this woman to offer him up to me. Well... she did. As I rocked him in my arms and stared into his astounding eyes, I couldn't help from wondering what his fate would be...<br /><br />I'm going to leave it at that... because he deserves his very own entry... and I'm not quite ready to write it yet. So... note to self... don't let so many dogs come and go without updating! I didn't realize how many dogs I've had since I first go Posey. You guys keep reading, I'll keep writing.<br /><br />When I'm ready, I'll spill the beans on the little brown pup that broke my heart... but for now... I'll leave you with the happy thoughts of all of the dogs that were adopted in the meantime.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-22983176032350327172013-11-02T20:19:00.002-07:002013-11-02T20:19:32.399-07:00The worst thing you can say to a foster parent...People mean well. They really do. And while they don't think there's anything wrong with what they are saying - well - I know my fellow foster families know what I'm talking about...<br /><br />Your friends see that picture you post - you know - of the new foster dog on the couch snuggled up next to the other dogs? Or maybe the one of the dog curled up next to you? They see your posts about how well Fido fits in with the rest of your dogs, and they see how much you love your new temporary addition.<br /><br />And that's when it starts. The comments come flooding in: I think you should keep him. Fido fits in so well with the rest of the pack. I don't think he'll be leaving. How can you stand to let him go?<br /><br />You know what? You just said the worst thing possible. I ALREADY want to keep half of the dogs that I foster. I already fall in love with all of them. My dogs fall in love with them, too. So... PLEASE refrain from validating my adoration for these animals. PLEASE don't tell me that I should keep this one. Fostering is hard enough... but it gets even harder when you friends remind you how well a dog fits in.<br /><br />So instead of reminding us how amazing it would be to add our fosters as permanent residents, remind us how important it is to let them go to a new family. Yes, they fit in great... but tap us on the shoulder and remind us that Fido has the perfect family out there somewhere... and that once he's adopted, we can save another. 'Nuff said.<br /><br />-EmilyEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-44140019714958343292013-03-10T21:02:00.004-07:002013-03-10T21:05:41.671-07:00"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Not to sound cliche, but where do I start?<br />
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It's been a couple months since I last posted. Not much to post about in my "Foster Dog Diaries" blog when I'm not fostering a dog.<br />
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Well, we all knew how long that would last. Do you sense the sarcasm? I can't remember the last time that I only had four dogs in my house. What's one more? I did not intend on acquiring another foster dog until I got word that PAWS of Hertford County had a shy dog that needed to get into a foster home. So... I got that spark in my heart and started getting excited about possibly having a new dog in the house. Paige has settled in as a permanent family member... and our days are quite simple. I felt like I could open up my home and my heart to another dog in need. Especially a shy dog. I sure do love my shy dogs...<br />
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So I went to the adoption event and stopped by Jackson's (my prospective foster dog's) crate to visit. However, he wasn't cowered in the corner like my other "shy dogs". He clearly had some anxiety... but Jackson was nothing like Audrey or Hallie, my nearly feral dog fosters. I gladly hung out with the PAWS volunteers and noticed shortly a young boy visiting with Jackson. The look in his eyes as he stood in front of the dog's crate was priceless. As jealous as I was that this kid was probably going to be taking MY new foster dog, I couldn't help from being in awe over the fact that you could just tell that these two were meant to be together. And that was that. The family had their German Shepherd meet Jackson, then they filled out the adoption form. Just after a week of being back at the shelter, Jackson was back in a home - surely forever this time.<br />
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At that point, I had prepared myself to go home with a dog. I couldn't go home empty-handed now! I'm always happy to take a dog from PAWS and free up some space there. It's funny... because I actually ended up taking home the first dog I saw even before I walked into Petsmart. Before I even walked through the doors, one of the volunteers was walking this old, washed up, sad-looking Hound. Her name was Wynona... and she had a great story of her escape from the shelter to go with her! Apparently she escaped from the shelter and was found running down the road, ironically, by a PAWS volunteer who was on her way to work. I was actually looking at a younger Pittie before I decided on Wynona, but there was something about this girl that pulled at my heartstrings. She actually reminded me of my old foster dog, Peaches. Her mopey demeanor, her face, and so much more! I had to have her.<br />
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Now she's got a new name and a new outlook on life! I ended up naming her Posey... and she's been with me for a week and has been absolutely amazing! She's extremely easy and is more like a couch ornament than a dog. She's house-trained, crate-trained, good with dogs, good with cats, walks well on a leash, rides great in the car, wonderful with kids, and she's pretty much perfect. Her only issue was that she'd possibly try to escape from a yard. The first few days, I supervised her closely. But, honestly, this dog wants to be outside, do her business, and come back in to sit on the couch. I even left her out today with the other dogs... and when I got up to check on them, she was passed out on the deck enjoying some sunshine! She went to an adoption event today, lasted about an hour, then slept the rest of the day. She didn't even stand up when new dogs came into the building. Yeah, she's perfect. After today, I seriously can't picture her busting out of the shelter and running down the road! Yeah, she gets playful for all of... 5 minutes... but that's about it! She's great! If all of my foster dogs could be like her, I could easily have five dogs in the house.</div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-29481946919039507392012-12-24T14:53:00.001-08:002012-12-24T15:04:40.333-08:00A Letter to My DadDear Dad...<br />
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Tonight, I texted you to come clean about the FOURTH addition to my fur family. As you know, I'm not good with words... unless I can write them down. You didn't respond to my text, and I'm worried that you disagree with my decision.<br />
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I just want you to know that I didn't make this decision without much thought. I never thought that I'd have a fourth dog. When one passed for one reason or another, I figured I'd add another needy dog at some point... not to fill the void... but to save another life.<br />
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My future dog... would be of mixed breed... and HE would be a dock dog. I'm far too involved with the sport to adopt a dog that might not have dock dog potential.<br />
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But something silly happened. A timid Shepherd mix came into my life shortly after a very special hospice dog left. This little, nervous Shepherd mix... was a GIRL. God forbid I ever adopted another female dog. NO MORE GIRLS. That was my demand... even for future foster dogs. Lyla got along with males... but she was very particular about her female friends<br />
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After we sent Pager off to Rainbow Bridge... and off to a world much different than the one we live in, we went straight to animal control. We were devastated and saddened as we walked up and down the aisles of homeless canines. There were a few that caught my eye... and Paige was not one of them. However, I walked into the kennel... and settled. I settled. I didn't look at her and say, "I want to save this dog." But I knew that I needed a distraction... and I trusted Jessica's opinion.<br />
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Within days, I knew that this little girl belonged with me. She was MINE. Paige got along well with the dogs - even Lyla. The cats? They were great friends. Toy drive? Eh, barely. The love of water? Not that I know of. So... as for her being a future dock dog... I have no idea. I guess we'll have to wait and see!<br />
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To give up fostering to adopt another dog... that's a big deal. I love this dog. She belongs with me. So... there it is... no more fostering. No more dogs. This is it. I just hope that those who think I'm crazy for adding a fourth dog can find acceptance in this addition.<br />
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Peace, Love, and Paw Prints... EmilyEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-57365417611845165012012-12-20T21:43:00.002-08:002012-12-20T21:43:35.384-08:00“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.” <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJIpvZdUFpMruckDbnZblIUDzdJmzk_hQou_zMbhNU5k_MsBx_YrGUX1Yn22kOT2Rbfx_oRkuAaWfgEoytCmKu_EkTy3hrcpNqLmOMd9WVCdUdD6HIT3H1Nga-F7ZyxsxYAHou4XYXkFp/s1600/october24pager.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJIpvZdUFpMruckDbnZblIUDzdJmzk_hQou_zMbhNU5k_MsBx_YrGUX1Yn22kOT2Rbfx_oRkuAaWfgEoytCmKu_EkTy3hrcpNqLmOMd9WVCdUdD6HIT3H1Nga-F7ZyxsxYAHou4XYXkFp/s320/october24pager.jpg" width="212" /></a>Fifty-eight days ago I saw this very same picture, and I heard the story about a stray dog that truly seemed to have run out of luck. His name was Pager, and he was homeless. He ended up at PAWS of Hertford County where the staff and volunteers took the time to find out what his story was. Pager was a big, sweet boy with a smile that could make anybody fall in love with him. It was this very picture that I had seen posted on their Facebook that captured my heart - and my heart refused to let this image go. The story that followed this picture was a sad one. Pager's lymph nodes were swollen, and it was thought that he probably had cancer.<br /><br />50 days ago, Pager went to the vet for a biopsy. I was following his story like a hawk. There was something about this dog that I couldn't ignore.<br /><br />44 days ago, I heard the news. Pager had cancer, and his prognosis was grim. He was to be euthanized that afternoon. His cancer was a death sentence. On top of that, he was high heart worm positive. Pager didn't have a chance, and it wasn't fair to make him live the rest of his days out in a shelter environment. My heart sunk... and while I already had four dogs in my house, I had to do something. Even though one of the PAWS volunteers was going to take him to the vet to be euthanized rather than having it done in the shelter, I couldn't stand to let it happen. I frantically texted K9 Justice League, the rescue I foster for, begging for permission to bring this dog into my home. Apparently I didn't need to beg. The rescue understood how important this was to me. I wanted to do something for this dog that otherwise didn't have a chance.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzA8IFjVU3zaSImE5HhumFZn2COoVRat_xfpeq86K2ge-Z-bz7hJYHo4twv62C5MDQ94SLZ1SlVSrhmUoh6Bw1fFaXMK-lKB7LCqtzr1IZdrqmJSapWwXf30pb2zSURCDHeX3F86oNbZK/s1600/575095_10151242435529303_645854179_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzA8IFjVU3zaSImE5HhumFZn2COoVRat_xfpeq86K2ge-Z-bz7hJYHo4twv62C5MDQ94SLZ1SlVSrhmUoh6Bw1fFaXMK-lKB7LCqtzr1IZdrqmJSapWwXf30pb2zSURCDHeX3F86oNbZK/s320/575095_10151242435529303_645854179_n.jpeg" width="320" /></a><br />
39 days ago, I met the dog that would change my life forever. He was awesome - and we all the knew this the minute we met him. One of my fellow K9JL foster parents/friends came and photographed our first meeting. She has a hospice dog... so she knows just how important it is to have plenty of pictures of a life that might not last all that long. After we went shopping with Pager in Petsmart, it was time to bring him home to the clan. He was a little nervous with the initial meeting, but can you blame him? With four dogs and four cats in the house, it's a little intimidating for a newcomer! It wasn't long before he settled in, though.<br />
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Pager spent the following 8 days living life to the fullest. We fed him whatever he wanted - whipped cream, bagels, bully sticks, and mass amounts of treats. When he wasn't visiting pet stores, Starbucks, and parks, Pager was getting loved on at home by me and my pack of dogs and cats.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pager enjoying a Puppy Latte at Starbucks!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kisses for Aunt Bethany!</td></tr>
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32 days ago, Pager looked me in the eyes and told me that it was time to go. He had spent eight amazing days with me. Eight good days... full of happiness, love, and anything he wanted. That last night, Pager slept in the bed with me. He had this option since I had brought him into my home... but it wasn't until that night that Pager decided to spend the night in bed... right next to me.<br /><br />31 days ago, I had to make a very hard decision. While I'd like to say it was the hardest decision of my life, it wasn't. The night before, Pager looked at me with these eyes that said, "I just lived a lifetime in eight days. It's okay to let me go now." I woke up the next morning with him next to me, and I looked him in the eyes and knew what I had to do. It was an easy decision. Pager and I gave each other what we needed... and it was only fair to release him from his pain. Overnight, my happy-go-lucky boy had declined greatly, and I simply couldn't stand to see him in that state. We had to do right by Pager, so we brought him in to the vet that morning to send him across Rainbow Bridge. Pager was surrounded by three people who loved him very much. His crossing was quiet and peaceful... though very sad. In just a short amount of time, Pager had captured the hearts of hundreds.<br /><br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgptFiEZB3EWor0BRGhSRyVrx6JxlD1_kwvL1g7C2a41lon9Tr-CbcV5ZZzN090S_Aw8UTQrq1fxgE2b8yNjCFFrIQlPHuBioFybatavSTGGDcpwxiVmtVOBCeGP9zfM5N041p59tlQNOOA/s1600/paigeday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgptFiEZB3EWor0BRGhSRyVrx6JxlD1_kwvL1g7C2a41lon9Tr-CbcV5ZZzN090S_Aw8UTQrq1fxgE2b8yNjCFFrIQlPHuBioFybatavSTGGDcpwxiVmtVOBCeGP9zfM5N041p59tlQNOOA/s320/paigeday.jpg" width="213" /></a>That very day, we thought that it would be a great tribute to Pager to pull another needy dog from the shelter. I already had a foster dog, but it only seemed natural to add another to the mix to help distract me from the sadness that ensued from the loss of Pager. She was a Shepherd mix with a widow's peak similar to Pager's. I had already sworn off female dogs in my house... but Jessica, the founder of K9JL, thought I'd like her. She was a little timid and quite underweight. I wasn't blown away when I first met her, but I did like her. I took her home that very day, and she met the rest of the clan without an issue. I had already decided earlier that day that "if I ended up with her", I wanted to name her Paige. I was fostering her in remembrance of Pager, so I figured that naming her after him made sense, too!<br /><br /><br />Days later, I couldn't imagine life without this little Shepherd mix. She was sweet and goofy and got along extremely well with my "difficult dog", Lyla. Lyla's personality doesn't always mesh well with those of others, but she and Paige got along as if they had lived together forever. Trust me, there were no plans to adopt a fourth dog. Ever. I love fostering. I've been doing it for two years. But... there was something about Paige that I couldn't let go of. I kept thinking, "What are the chances that another dog like this will ever cross my path?"<br /><br />
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I like to think that this all happened for a reason - that I brought Pager into my life for those eight days to learn what I learned from him - and perhaps to help me find my way to Paige... and to help Paige find her way to me. Yes, it's official... and the paperwork has been signed. Who knew that life would bring me in this direction? I sure didn't.<br /><br /><b>Welcome to forever, Paige.</b><br /><br />Peace, Love, and Paw Prints... Emily<br />
<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-10060591085171323422012-12-17T20:31:00.006-08:002012-12-17T20:31:53.985-08:00"Love is patient, love is kind."<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-4_G0wnTYiAWTMVipzs3asjwJJwvYhd0lzNCiyoiBiBhcIoQk7bu78ykdA1lxGq_lBoQmSmFZpAx0YCNf26Fk7KktqL1-P_hQWorDmredlzilUNhqCeVm0KyLIXB15SHR5-at6rFMPzU/s1600/Trixie1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-4_G0wnTYiAWTMVipzs3asjwJJwvYhd0lzNCiyoiBiBhcIoQk7bu78ykdA1lxGq_lBoQmSmFZpAx0YCNf26Fk7KktqL1-P_hQWorDmredlzilUNhqCeVm0KyLIXB15SHR5-at6rFMPzU/s320/Trixie1.jpg" width="213" /></a>Because tomorrow is a special day... a day that I want to write about... I'm trying hard to catch up on what I haven't written about in the last few months.<br /><br />That brings me to Trixie. Honestly I can't remember if Trixie came when I still had Hallie or if she came after Hallie had been adopted. There have been so many "double fosters" in the last six months<br />
that I can't remember when I've had four dogs or five dogs in the house. It all kind of blends together these days.<br /><br />Trixie wasn't supposed to end up staying... but I feel like half of the dogs that have come to my house "to visit" have ended up not leaving until they were adopted! Long story short, Trixie stayed. And Trixie has yet to leave. She's been in the rescue since mid-September, my house since the end of October, and really hasn't had much interest. I'm not sure why. She's sweet, beautiful, a good size, and a GREAT snuggle buddy! On top of that, she gets along well with other dogs and cats! I guess that perfect home will come along eventually.<br /><br />I love her. I really do. However, I suppose after fostering for so long, I've found a "type" that I prefer in my house. There's nothing wrong with her. She's house-trained and crate-trained... and under proper supervision, she doesn't chew inappropriately and is simply happy to snuggle up on the couch or get crazy out in the yard with the other dogs. However, with five dogs in the house, I cannot give Trixie as much attention as she would like. She gets what she needs and is happy... but I'd love to see her in a new foster home soon... or even better, a forever home. Trixie wants to play with toys out in the yard. She wants to snuggle up next to someone on the couch and sleep in the bed at night. She wants to go for long walks... and maybe even a swim once in a while. However... my house is full. Brody doesn't want to share his toys with her. Lyla doesn't want to give up her spot next to me on the couch for Trixie... though they enjoy nothing more than a good romp outside together! She's happy... but I think she'd be a lot happier in a home where she can get more attention. I try to enhance the lives of the dogs in my house as much as I possibly can... and I truly feel guilty that I don't have the time or resources to give Trixie the attention that she deserves. Clearly she's not deprived... but I know she wants more.<br />
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So, please spread the word about this sweet, young lady and help us get her in a home in which she CAN curl up on the couch and snuggle, play with toys, or go on a long walk with her family. Trixie would love nothing more than to find a forever home for the holidays. She truly deserves it. I can't put into words how sweet this little pooch is. You have to meet her to get it.<br /><br />And... like I said... tomorrow is an important day. There will be a lot to write about... and even more to catch up on. I'm not even sure if I'm ready to write about it... but I'll try.<br /><br /><i>Peace, Love, and Paw Prints... Emily</i>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-66710844122141817402012-12-16T10:31:00.001-08:002012-12-16T10:53:12.453-08:00"To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It seems as if the last couple months have unintentionally brought on this hiatus from blogging. It's been a busy time in my life... between work and pets and the rescue and dock dogs and taking on new responsibilities that allow a lot less time for anything else. I'm not complaining... especially since I choose to take on all of these tasks... but I am attempting to offer an explanation for my lack of blogging! I love blogging. As most of you know, I love to write. I can write a lot better than I can speak. In what I cannot say out loud, I can certainly put into words on a computer or on a piece of paper. So... I'm back. I'll push the writer's block aside and make an attempt at writing again.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLVaBDH8Od-2_a2Adj5FuVxBbxJ-VzYJqCcKeHgGzEJbApm4KGmef3t8zhczNJZg8iMjwHsmwZfwDjV_rtX_ol0Lt3FX32ph1N9P9PhtgKsFuE2ZJkxI0Kw-L_ISmnSeRjNIOThSmujA-/s1600/Roxy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLVaBDH8Od-2_a2Adj5FuVxBbxJ-VzYJqCcKeHgGzEJbApm4KGmef3t8zhczNJZg8iMjwHsmwZfwDjV_rtX_ol0Lt3FX32ph1N9P9PhtgKsFuE2ZJkxI0Kw-L_ISmnSeRjNIOThSmujA-/s320/Roxy2.jpg" width="320" /></a>We left off with Hallie just joining my pack. Believe it or not, just a couple months after welcoming her into my life, a family mourning the loss of their dog came across her picture. It was love at first sight, though I was skeptical of what they would think when they actually met my shy foster dog. Shy dogs are difficult... because while they might come out of their shell in their foster homes after being there for a couple of months, they revert back to their almost feral self in any new situation. It's like starting all over again in anyplace other than where and whom they are used to. However, Hallie's savior was right around the corner. A mother of three, whose husband was currently deployed, was on the search for a new canine companion to fill the void of the beloved dog she had recently lost.<br />
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We dotted the i's and crossed the t's and did a home visit as soon as we could. We were concerned that Hallie would be in a home with three young children and as the only dog. Shy dogs learn how to act from other dogs. We weren't sure how she'd do without the guidance of other canines. We were pleasantly surprised to find that Mom knew exactly how to treat a shy dog. The children did as they were told and didn't even get up from the table when we came into the house with Hallie. I'm not sure if I could have that much restraint with a new dog in the house... even as an adult! Mom even noticed that the ceiling fan was making Hallie nervous, even before any of us did, and she quickly got up to turn it off and make Hallie a little more comfortable.<br />
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Before we knew it, the papers were signed... and Hallie joined her new family with a new name of "Roxy". I've kept in touch with her new family, and I love seeing pictures of her in her forever home. They've had their struggles... but that's expected with such an under socialized dog. However, Roxy's family has worked hard and has done an amazing job striving towards having a strong bond between them. I couldn't be happier that I get to see her on occasion and that her family is willing to work so hard to make their relationships stronger.<br />
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I'm still not caught up, though. I still have to write about the dogs that followed this brindle beauty. I'd combine it all into one post if I could... but there's far too much to write about. Because between Hallie's story and now... there was/is Trixie, Pager, and Paige. For now, I'll leave you with this story of a shy dog finding her forever home... something that probably would have never been possible if she had never left the shelter. Shy dogs are good dogs... just misunderstood. I'm so glad that I've been able to contribute to the lives of a handful of a few shy dogs... and have been a piece of their journey to finding their forever homes.<br />
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Peace, Love, and Paw Prints... EmilyEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-85319269489560078742012-07-28T20:15:00.001-07:002012-07-28T20:28:43.032-07:00"Invisible threads are the strongest ties."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It was just another Saturday in the life of Emily... and for some reason... I didn't have to work, I didn't have a <a href="http://www.k9justiceleague.com/" target="_blank">K9 Justice League</a> adoption event to attend, and I didn't even have any <a href="http://www.tidewaterdockdogs.com/" target="_blank">Tidewater Dock Dogs</a>
commitments. That's a first! Don't get me wrong - I love my job, I
love the rescue, and I love dock dogs! But for me to have a free day?
That's just strange. Naturally, I offered to help another shelter set
up at Petsmart and handle and hang out with their adoptable dogs and
cats for some of the day. <a href="http://www.pawsofhertfordcounty.com/" target="_blank">PAWS of Hertford County</a>
is a shelter I hold near and is dear to my heart. Not only has K9JL
worked closely with them to transfer dogs from the PAWS shelter to our
rescue, but they are also the reason that my sweet Lyla and her siblings
ever found their way to myself and their other adopters. Some of my
favorite foster dogs have been from PAWS!<br />
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I already had a foster dog... and little did I know... I'd have another unexpected foster join my life about a month later. My three-legged girl, Lucille, spent a little over 3 months with me. It baffled me as to why she wasn't adopted sooner. I suppose the whole "tripod image" threw some people off. I'm not sure why... because Lucille could outrun ALL of my dogs. She was house trained, good with dogs, good with cats, and had looks to kill. People fell in love with her through my pictures of her... but nobody actually put an application in on her. It wasn't until our Petco adoption event... at a location that we only visit once every couple months... that a married pair walked in the store and looked at Lucille as if they had come to the store specifically to see her. Apparently... they had. They saw through Lucille's nervous nature and put in the paperwork that day! Within the week, Lucille was living happily in her forever home with her new parents and her THREE dog siblings! Lucille waited so long to find that perfect family, and over 3 months later, it finally happened. She found her PERFECT match. It was the first adoption that I actually cried in front of the family. All of my foster dogs are special... but Lucille taught me a lot about loving life in spite of her "disability"... if you can even call it that.<br />
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At some point, though, when Lucille was still a part of my life... and Peaches wasn't part of it yet... I met Hallie. She was there at the PAWS adoption event at Petsmart to "socialize". This was probably 3-4 months ago. She had some treats outside of her crate for people to offer her. She was hesitant about taking treats from people, and she was huddled in the back of her crate. I'm a sucker for the shy dogs... and as I chatted with a PAWS volunteer tonight, I realized that maybe I'm such a sucker for the shy dogs... because I used to be painfully shy myself. I know how it feels to be in a new situation and simply want to shut down. I know how scared they are... how much they wish that they could just be invisible. So I sat in front of Hallie's crate and offered her treat after treat after treat... and she continued to take them from me... but she still remained huddled in the back of her crate. Still... we connected.<br />
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However many months later... after both Lucille and Peaches were adopted... K9 Justice League headed down to North Carolina for another pull. We came at a time that they needed it most. The shelter was overcrowded and needed to transfer some dogs to rescue badly. The shelter is basically an animal control facility run by volunteers that offer their blood, sweat, and tears to help the unwanted dogs and cats of rural North Carolina. I knew who I wanted as my next foster dog before we even traveled down there. Hallie was STILL there.<br />
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So... welcome to Hallie - and seven other needy dogs! She's not as shy as Audrey, but she exhibits many of the same characteristics. I highly doubt that she's ever lived in a home before. The ceiling fan and the standing fan threw her for a loop. The television intrigued her... and it's obvious that she's never seen or heard one before. She fits right in with the dogs and is BFFs with Lyla already! The cats make her a little nervous, though. She has some threshold issues when it comes to coming in and out between the house and the backyard. I have to prop the door open and hide around the corner... then sneak behind her and shut the door once she's come in. She will walk on a leash, so that's a plus! She's really been a joy so far! Hallie has only pottied outside... and has remained quietly in her crate when I sleep and when I went to work. She eats well, too! You all know how stressed out a finicky eater makes me! Hallie takes time to settle down in the house and actually sleep, but she's figuring it out. She needs a lot of socialization with people... but doesn't have a mean bone in her body. I'm excited to get to know her better and continue working on getting her socialized with the human kind. So far, so good. I'm glad that we made that connection a few months ago... and I'm even happier than I'm able to help another dog that would have otherwise been overlooked time and time again. Get ready, Hallie... you're life is just beginning!Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-3039183206016186522012-07-24T16:39:00.002-07:002012-07-24T16:39:33.938-07:00"Those who are meant to be together will always find their way to each other in the end."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Whenever I tell people that one of my foster dogs is getting adopted, the most popular response is, "You must be sad." But I'm not sad. The tears that I cry are tears of joy. I've been fostering dogs for almost 2 years now, and I've loved every single one. Some more than others, perhaps, but I've truly loved each and every soul that has passed through my life.<br /><br />Why be sad? Because I was able to offer my time and a place to stay, this dog that would have never had a chance got one. And in the end, that dog that never had a chance ends up in a forever home with the person/people who were waiting for them all along.<br /><br />You might have to see it to believe it, I suppose, but every dog I've fostered has ended up with the perfect family. You have no idea how many times I've heard potential adopters say, "I've been looking for the right dog for so long." You know what? My foster dog has been looking for the right family for so long! And then they find each other. It's that moment when you see the connection between human and dog... and you just know that it's meant to be.<br /><br />Three days ago, on Sunday, at the K9 Justice League adoption event at our local Petco, I saw that spark between child and dog. A very excited little boy with parents in tow came into the store for the second day in a row to look at our adoptable dogs. Reese, the boy, instantly gravitated towards Peaches. He walked her around the store, and she followed. She didn't mind that her legs were tangled in the leash... or that he was walking much faster than her typical, slow pace. Peaches seemed happy as long as she was tagging along with him. They looked at fish together and made their rounds through the store... quite a few times! He'd bend over and wrap his arms around her and exclaim, "She's cute! I like her!" I had a hard time not tearing up just watching them together. These two were meant to be together. I think mom and dad noticed the connection, too, because they eventually came to us with their decision. They wanted to adopt Peaches. We set up a home visit for Tuesday.<br /><br />I spent the next couple days extremely excited over the potential adoption of Peaches... but also thinking it was too good to be true. Peaches had spent nearly 5 months in the rescue... almost 4 of those months with me. Her calm nature wasn't an attention grabber when it came to adoption events. Nearly 5 months... and almost no interest in this sweet, older girl. She had been passed up by so many people... it was hard for me to believe that her day had finally come.<br /><br />Peaches joined me at work on Tuesday and had a spa day. I probably could have given her a bath at home, but I liked the fact that she was there with me all day on what would be her last day as my foster dog. When I arrived at the home, her boy excitedly ran to the back of my car where Peaches was. He was clearly excited! First we checked out the backyard, and I'm pretty sure that Peaches was in heaven. She has a huge backyard to explore and plenty of space to sunbathe! She joyously followed Reese around and even ran back to the house with him! Peaches isn't a runner. She's more of a slow walker, but she was clearly happy to follow her new best friend wherever he went! She explored the house with Reese and has some new kitty siblings to get acquainted with! They weren't exactly thrilled about their new canine companion, but I know that cats take time to adjust. Heck, I have 4 cats... so I'm all too familiar with the process. They signed the papers and made it official. The quiet, calm hound mix that was passed up so many times finally found the right family. There truly is a perfect family for every dog - it's just a matter of time.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-74332712986641992082012-07-11T20:06:00.001-07:002012-07-11T20:07:33.158-07:00It's not about one dog...It's not about one dog. It's about the thousands unfairly killed because of BSL.<br />
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While I realize that my blog is named "Foster Dog Diaries", I can't help from straying from the stories of my foster dogs to address this issue...<br />
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Breed Specific Legislation, commonly know as BSL, and fondly known by many of us as BS. That's what it is. It's bullshit. If you're not up to par on your BSL knowledge, check out Wikipedia's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breed-specific_legislation" target="_blank">definition</a>.<br />
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What sparks this recent hatred, you ask? If you're a dog lover, you've probably heard about <a href="http://www.savelennox.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lennox and the 2-year battle to free the innocent "pit bull type" dog</a>. However, in Belfast, a UK owned territory, "pit bull type" dogs are banned. Any of these dogs are to be euthanized... though I hardly think it's far to use such an innocent term. These dogs are being murdered. Forget the fact that the dog might just be the sweetest and most harmless dog in town - it doesn't matter. Don't you know? It's not about personality - it's about looks - about the breed. Hmmm, sounds kind of like racial profiling, doesn't it?<br />
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Even though there were many other options for Lennox, including Victoria Stillwell's (famous dog trainer of <a href="http://animal.discovery.com/tv/its-me-or-dog/" target="_blank">It's Me or the Dog</a>) offer to pay the expenses and rehome the dog in the U.S. where BSL exists... but not as strictly as it does in the UK.<br />
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Unfortunately, Belfast City Council refused to take anyone up on their offers... and insisted on murdering Lennox early this morning. My heart goes out to the family that wouldn’t give up, and I only hope that Lennox’s story will reach the ears of millions and show them exactly how wrong BSL is. I am the proud owner of a “pit bull type” dog... as well as a German Shepherd mix. Both are as sweet as sugar and would never pose a threat to humankind... yet both are banned and/or restricted in many places. We must continue to fight BSL... because YOUR dog might be next.<br />
<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-70707972968715011452012-05-25T18:11:00.005-07:002012-05-25T18:11:58.944-07:00"We will either find a way, or make one..."<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHd2gfiDKticeWwxh9-kcAxse45-Bq3sFshrz_1WKhGIUInOp05klN_-lTl-Wnu7DAUEAwNlM60Cw5ySjrhi-grGwt0Vikms9zinLAQNQD4uBsPs_GwlW-LOj1kgh5EEwF9JI1C1S8b5L3/s1600/554689_10150920964132355_503957354_9848524_302540306_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHd2gfiDKticeWwxh9-kcAxse45-Bq3sFshrz_1WKhGIUInOp05klN_-lTl-Wnu7DAUEAwNlM60Cw5ySjrhi-grGwt0Vikms9zinLAQNQD4uBsPs_GwlW-LOj1kgh5EEwF9JI1C1S8b5L3/s320/554689_10150920964132355_503957354_9848524_302540306_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>Yes... I fell off of the blogging bandwagon yet again. But if you knew how chaotic and busy my life was, you'd understand why.<br /><br />I'm on month three with Lucille as a foster. She goes to nearly all of the adoption events, gets shared on Facebook, and has even been featured in a video blog by our local country station. I couldn't tell you why she doesn't have a home yet. Not to mention the fact that she's house trained, crate trained, good with dogs, good with cats, good with kids, and - well - just good all around. I just don't get it. I've had fosters that aren't good with other dogs... fosters that are so under socialized that they are petrified of EVERYTHING... fosters that have medical issues... and they've ALL been adopted. But what about Lucille? What is it about her that has kept her from finding her forever home? Yes, she only has three legs... but I honestly can't imagine that the lack of a leg is what is keeping people from being interested in her. She keeps up just fine with the rest of the pack. I'm truly baffled. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that Lucille finally finds her forever home someday soon. As for now, she's happy and healthy where she is.<br /><br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIgs2lQsW3d21c54RqMIY3mDEL5vMNfFkML61RlOOIygbnvDKpO35e924K25o1EAtcKeAIovH8OVVnXvEFiHTkryG8Hm3mkNewJ20MNmdgp811ltG3g-azGkOwPBSpFhhV9axpnzDhyN_/s1600/IMG_3688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Then... as you all know... along came Peaches. I'm on month two with Peaches. I've had some difficult dogs throughout my fostering career... but Peaches has been a hard one to figure out. She's as sweet as sugar, but she's had a very hard time adjusting to life as an indoor dog. Between house training and crate training, it's been a struggle. As for getting along with the other four dogs and three cats in the house, she's adjusted quite well! She attends adoption events and also participated in the video blog with Lucille that our local country station, 97.3 The Eagle, put on for us. From what I can tell, Peaches was probably a dog that never lived in a house... and never had to be confined. Two months later, I'm still trying to crack the code with this dog. She's one of the sweetest dogs I've crossed paths with... but I still have some figuring out to do when it comes to house training her. As for getting her used to living in a house... well... let's just say that she has taken kindly to curling up in a ball on the couch.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIgs2lQsW3d21c54RqMIY3mDEL5vMNfFkML61RlOOIygbnvDKpO35e924K25o1EAtcKeAIovH8OVVnXvEFiHTkryG8Hm3mkNewJ20MNmdgp811ltG3g-azGkOwPBSpFhhV9axpnzDhyN_/s1600/IMG_3688.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIgs2lQsW3d21c54RqMIY3mDEL5vMNfFkML61RlOOIygbnvDKpO35e924K25o1EAtcKeAIovH8OVVnXvEFiHTkryG8Hm3mkNewJ20MNmdgp811ltG3g-azGkOwPBSpFhhV9axpnzDhyN_/s320/IMG_3688.jpg" width="320" /></a>Oh... but as if two foster dogs, three of my own dogs, three cats, two ferrets, a snake, a horse, and work, dock dogs, and rescue events weren't enough... some newborn kittens wiggled their way into my life. I'm sad to say that two of them passed away... but I'm thrilled to announce that the little boy is alive and kicking 6 weeks (almost 7 weeks) later. And, of course, after spending every waking moment with this kitten... I've become rather attached. I'm desperately hoping that Gunther, the kitten, will be the new addition as a "hospital cat" where I work... but we'll have to see how it goes. I still haven't talked to my boss about it, though I've caught him multiple times taking Gunther out to visit with him. Too cute! My boss is pretty awesome. I'm just going to keep bringing him to work with me... and go from there. If he's a terror that annoys clients, swats at dogs' noses, and tears bags of food open... it's a negative... but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he's a good boy and settles in. Just have to play it by ear, I suppose.<br /><br />Yes, so... basically... I'm insanely busy, my house is a mess, I don't sleep much, yet I'm pretty damn happy. And I guess that's all that matters. Right?Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-38300183725758413782012-04-06T20:21:00.002-07:002012-05-25T17:30:38.311-07:00"With love and patience, nothing is impossible."<br />
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At some point in the last couple of weeks, I acquired another foster
dog. Funny how that happens, huh? The more, the merrier! That's what I
think!<br />
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I first met Peaches at an K9 Justice League adoption event at Petco. I was attending the event with my current (and still current) foster dog, Lucille. We set up camp as usual and made ourselves comfortable at the table with our dogs in hand. Lucille was very social and did a great job drawing the attention of people passing by. After all, those three-legged dogs tend to do that! Peaches, however, spent her day trying to wander at the end of the leash... and sleeping. When people did pay attention to her, she'd offer a wag of the tail and was very tolerant of anyone visiting. She did especially well with children! Peaches was nothing short of sweet, though she didn't appear to be very entertained at the adoption event.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucille, myself, and Peaches</td></tr>
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Little did I know, this picture would be a picture of myself with my future foster dog, Peaches. While I'm still not sure if she'll end up as my "permanent" foster dog, she's spent enough time with me now to be a temporary foster dog, at least! How did Peaches end up with me, you ask? Well, I have a 6ft privacy fence, and I'm the person who can't stand to see a dog down on her luck. While we don't know what Peaches' past consists of, I can only assume that she was never kept indoors. Her first foster home, while perfect in every other aspect, didn't have a fence that could contain this wandering soul. As for the second foster home, Peaches required more training and time than they could give her at the time. Dogs who have never lived inside before take a little extra time and patience when it comes to house training and manners... not everyone is up for it. Even though I already had Lucille, I was more than willing to hang on to Peaches until another foster home opened up... or indefinitely... until she's adopted.<br />
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It didn't start off like that, though. The first couple of days with Peaches went well. She was fine with all of my dogs... and just kind of existed amongst them. She's older and gives the occasional kiss and tail wag to the other dogs, but that's about the extent of it. She did well with house training, too. There were a couple of days later, however, that you would have thought that Peaches was looking to get the heck out of my house! And she was driving me crazy! She looked out of the windows, paced in the yard, tried to climb over and crawl under the baby gates, and attempted to dig her way out of the crate. Peaches wanted OUT. Following this episode, she also had a couple accidents in the house. Honestly, I expect accidents. Dogs who have never lived in a home environment have no idea that just going when you have to go - whether it's on the tile or hardwood floor or carpet - is not proper house dog manners. They don't know any better... and nobody ever taught them. It was the constant attempt at escaping that had me confused. She just seemed so anxious and just couldn't settle down.<br />
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At some point, Peaches gave up. I don't know what it was. I'm not sure if she just got into the swing of things... or if she saw that the other dogs had to deal with exactly what she was dealing with... but Peaches finally settled in. She's given up on trying to 'get out'... whether it's under or over gates or digging out of the crate. She goes outside with the rest of the pack, sleeps in a crate adjacent to Lucille, and eats when the others eat. I think she's probably gained a pound already - and she's a picky eater. However, she seems content enough in the household to eat dry food without the bells and whistles. I add canned food once a day for the extra calories... but Peaches doesn't hesitate to eat her dry, plain kibble anymore. And while I won't hold my breath, she's been accident free for the last few days! She's a good girl and refuses to have accidents in her crate, and we experienced a milestone this morning! She scratched at the door to go outside! And when I let her out, she tinkled right away! Peaches is nothing short of incredibly sweet... and she's trying so hard to learn the ways of an indoor dog. She's going to make someone an amazing companion if she keeps this up! Her name is perfect. She's as sweet as peaches.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QXKBlFpblokdKvCGns76tse-aLBmXmd5k7H6wW27pIZqyhzbsI2XA29sMiu5Y5Z6s8tIQBjgIvA5vxuz3QmpR1QEq5T1P_qjjBoAqd_gYhHFSIL8yORarNUJWQSbUshd6tAWFVavOwXy/s1600/IMG_3020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QXKBlFpblokdKvCGns76tse-aLBmXmd5k7H6wW27pIZqyhzbsI2XA29sMiu5Y5Z6s8tIQBjgIvA5vxuz3QmpR1QEq5T1P_qjjBoAqd_gYhHFSIL8yORarNUJWQSbUshd6tAWFVavOwXy/s320/IMG_3020.jpg" width="213" /></a>As for Lucille, she's been doing great. She looks like a totally new dog! She's gained weight and has a shiny, beautiful coat! Lucille event had a meet and greet the other day with a family! Fingers crossed that they are her future forever family. I had to work, so I didn't get to meet them... but apparently they are a very nice family! I'm going to miss Lucille very much when she does leave. She fits in well here... and has made an awesome playmate for Lyla. But... I've said it a million times... and I'll say it again... a foster dog going to a new home means another homeless dog gets a chance at life. As much as I hate to let them go, it's all for good reason... and I can deal with that.<br />
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<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-59203867952265204072012-03-24T16:46:00.000-07:002012-03-24T16:46:23.646-07:00"Being different is one of the most beautiful things on earth."First of all, do you remember that family that loved Audrey so much? Well, they adopted her! She's doing great with her new people and new doggie brother! When I saw them with her, I could just tell that they were her future forever home!<br />
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It wasn't long after Audrey's adoption that another special Hound mix came into my life. She wasn't shy like Audrey, but she had recently had her front leg amputated. She was found as a malnourished stray... dragging her bum leg along... and entertaining four pups of her own. Paws of Hertford County in Ahoskie, NC took Lucille into their shelter and got her the medical attention she so desperately needed. Her four puppies were quickly adopted... but Lucille still needed surgery to have her bum leg amputated... and, of course, to be spayed! In the midst of all of this, Lucille also tested positive for two tick-born illnesses! Those are a quick fix with some medication... and she was fortunate that she wasn't heart worm positive!<br />
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It's kind of funny how Lucille ended up as my foster. She originally was meant to be a temporary guest while I kept an eye on her incision site after the amputation surgery. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to keep her as a foster at first! At first glance, it appeared as if she wasn't going to get along with my other female, Lyla. Come to find, Lucille doesn't like face to face greetings. It makes her uncomfortable and defensive. After all she's been through... can you blame her? Within the week, she settled in at my house and with my pack. I even took her to work with me to the vet office and used the healing laser on her incision site. It healed up wonderfully, and we were able to remove the stitches about 14 days after the surgery. Lucky for me, I've got amazing bosses and amazing co-workers who are willing to lend their expertise and a helping hand when it comes to my foster dogs!<br />
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In the end, we decided not to stress Lucille out by moving her again to a different foster home... and left her with me. She's doing amazingly well... and does great with my dogs and my cats. She sleeps contently in her crate while I'm at work and at night when I'm asleep. Lucille even walks well on a leash! She doesn't have accidents in the house either! She's truly been a joy to have. She's adjusted extremely well to only having three legs. Honestly, I'm sure the bum leg was a nuisance, and she was happy to get rid of it!<br />
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I've had her for almost a month now, and I'm honestly shocked that nobody has adopted her yet. She's a good dog - a trooper - and super beautiful with her gorgeous eyes and sweet demeanor! She certainly doesn't let the fact that she has three legs slow her down. However, I continue to live by the fact that true love will happen when it's meant to. I know Lucille's forever family is right around the corner...<br />
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</div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-49111533559758129462012-02-21T16:38:00.000-08:002012-02-21T16:42:41.258-08:00"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."I'm 10 days shy of 2 months with Audrey, and I'm very happy with the progress she's made! She's really blossomed into a great dog! For such a fearful girl, she's been extremely tolerant and sweet. Audrey sleeps in the bed with me and the other dogs, hangs out on the couch with me, plays great with the dogs out in the yard, and pretty much mimics everything her canine friends do. They've really taught her a lot! I'd like to credit myself... but it's my dogs who have done most of the work in teaching her how to be a great companion for a family.<br />
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She had a meet-and-greet with a family a couple weeks ago and really surprised me in how well she did. She was totally out of her element... but wanted so badly to meet these two people. Audrey would walk into the living room where we were sitting, then dart away. Rinse and repeat. Eventually, though, Audrey walked in and lied down and fell asleep next to them. She wants, so badly, to be a part of the family - but she's just not sure what to expect. Who knows what happened to her in her youth. We really have no idea what caused her to be so fearful - whether it was being left alone and the lack of socialization or the possibility of someone hurting her in the past. But... Audrey is learning... and she has come such a long way in a short amount of time. That particular family decided against adopting Audrey... simply because she's probably going to take a little extra work.<br />
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However, Audrey went to her first adoption event this last Sunday... and a couple people had inquired about her the previous day. I arrived at Petco a few minutes earlier to let Audrey get settled and walk around the store. Apart from going to a couple unfamiliar places, Audrey hadn't been anywhere like Petco before. She walked on a leash and did pretty well walking through the store. She never ceases to amaze me! The first family who came in to visit Audrey loved her for who she was. They weren't concerned with the fact that Audrey wasn't interacting with them. They understood that she was scared... and took our word that she's totally different in an environment in which she's comfortable. They put an application in on her and have since set up a meet-and-greet with Audrey.<br />
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I know this might sound ridiculous, but I think they might be it. Audrey has been acting differently since she met them. She's been more outgoing at home and extremely lovey dovey. She wants to sleep right next to me... and is constantly going in for kisses from me. Fingers crossed that these people are Audrey's forever family! It's nice that some people can see through the shyness and believe that there's a totally different dog in there. Good people are out there! I hate to get too excited... because you never know what's going to happen... but we'll see!<br />
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</div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-42648247854590324362012-01-14T11:45:00.000-08:002012-01-14T11:45:23.321-08:00"The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say."Long time, no see. I've been suffering from writer's block, I suppose, because writing is one of my favorite things to do - especially writing about dogs. I actually typed a post up a few days ago... and deleted it. So... here I am...<br />
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I totally skipped a chapter of the "Foster Dog Diaries" when I failed to write about Boris, my last foster, and all of my experiences with him. Perhaps I didn't write because he was one of my most difficult fosters... that happened to come at a time in my life that was fairly new and busy. You see, around the same time Boris came into my life, I started a new job at vet hospital as a vet assistant/kennel caretaker. I've never worked at a vet before... so I had a lot to learn! I STILL have a lot to learn. But... that's irrelevant. Boris was a good dog - obedience trained, crate trained, good on a leash, etc. However, Boris didn't really know how to act around other dogs. He got on well with Brody and Lyla at first... but he and Jackson butted heads quite often. I really had to keep an eye on those two. After a couple weeks, though, Brody and Lyla decided that they didn't really want to tolerate Boris as much as they had at first. This made life a little bit difficult for all of us. Lyla's used to having a playmate... and she started to act out when Boris didn't suffice as such. We stuck it out, though, and Boris eventually found his forever family. While it was difficult, I'm glad that I was a part of helping him find his perfect family. He really is a good dog... but Mr. Boris certainly seemed to prefer being an only dog.<br />
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Once Boris was adopted, I spent a few weeks without a foster. Lyla was going crazy without a playmate! So was I! But... K9 Justice League had it all planned out. We were headed down to Paws of Hertford County in North Carolina on January 31st to pull a handful of dogs to bring back home to Virginia for the open foster families of the rescue. I eagerly awaited the day that I'd meet my new foster!<br />
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Of course, I scoured the website day and night to see which dog I might just want to pick. But... you know how that goes. You pick one and end up with another! We made the trip early in the morning and were greeted by the amazing volunteers of PAWS who we have come to know and love. They are truly amazing people... who work hard and give these animals love when nobody else will. Talk about a small shelter rising above the rest! They have done a fantastic job getting the word out about their dogs and cats! I really adore them.<br />
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Once we got to the shelter, we went to work. My eyes were peeled for my new foster... and Jessica and Tiffany worked hard to pick dogs that matched up well with the available foster families. Of course, I wanted the dog least likely to be adopted. There were two shy dogs, Florence and Olivia. Florence had been in a home for a trial... but do to her extreme shyness, it didn't work out. I adored both of them from the start... but Florence showed the most potential... so that's who I left with. We left with a total of 11 dogs. Ten went into the rescue, and one was transported to a breed rescue. We renamed my foster dog. Her name is now Audrey. The first day was rough. She was so scared that she would barely move. While she was petrified, she wasn't aggressive at all. I could pick her up and pet her... although she really didn't enjoy it! She curled up in a ball and was like a statue while my three dogs greeted her. When she came home with me, I don't think she was expecting to be in a house with a whole pack of dogs! And that's what will save her. My dogs have already helped her in so many ways... and they are doing their job by showing her that humans give food, affection, and playtime. It's going to be a long road... but she's already made a lot of progress. I can't wait to see what the future holds for Audrey's life.<br />
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Peace, Love, and Paw PrintsEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-13265290816986057842011-09-18T19:40:00.000-07:002011-09-18T19:40:05.414-07:00"As we move through life, the force of fate creates events that we only appreciate when we reflect on our existence."Every now and then, THAT foster dog comes along. You know? The one that you just can't stand to let go? Most people... who have never fostered... are probably thinking that EVERY foster dog is THAT dog. But when you've fostered... you begin to understand. Most fosters... you CAN let go... because the need to allow yourself to foster another - to save another life - are much stronger than the need to adopt that most recent addition. It is when you get the dogs that connect with YOUR dogs that are the hardest to let go. As a foster mom, I'm often sad about letting them go... but at the same time, I'm so happy that I was able to be a part of their journey in finding their forever homes. But when my dogs fall head over paws over one of my fosters, it makes me feel terribly sad to let them go. As human beings, we often think about ourselves - and how bringing a dog into our lives affects us - and how letting them go is such a bittersweet moment. But what about our own dogs? How does it affect them?<br />
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Each foster dog that enters my home affects my own dogs differently. As the old man of the family, Jackson takes the longest to warm up to the newcomers. Brody - well - he wags his tail and introduces himself for a minute... before getting distracted by a toy... inevitably something to fetch... and ends up not caring that much about the newcomer. Lyla, my foster failure dog, tends to be more interested than anyone. She throws herself at the newcomer and is more excited than ever!<br />
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Well, this time, Lyla fell in love with a foster that I only have for a few days. His original foster family was going out of town... and needed someone to keep an eye on him. So here I am. Brody, Jackson, Lyla... and cats... and all. Oddly enough, even Jackson doesn't seem to mind Harley. Brody likes him... and even shares his toys. Lyla... on the other hand... has fallen in love with him. They just adore each other!<br />
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But... sometimes... life gets in the way of fate. While all signs point to the fact that Harley belongs in my family... my living situation points elsewhere. What a shame... because I know for a fact that Lyla is going to miss her "baby" more than anything!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSYlo7Btc-hjH_0q60v877KX1OqHv4kDEj92xZBV5jFGlzpT9ORicY-VkcTIJj6a6bx-tJoVSYJsMXmZX4BhE6MVOb3u_SHWH89x4cm0Q08sCL5mXM21iVdq2qHyQJ6NmhpP87mBxoziPj/s1600/IMG_0665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSYlo7Btc-hjH_0q60v877KX1OqHv4kDEj92xZBV5jFGlzpT9ORicY-VkcTIJj6a6bx-tJoVSYJsMXmZX4BhE6MVOb3u_SHWH89x4cm0Q08sCL5mXM21iVdq2qHyQJ6NmhpP87mBxoziPj/s320/IMG_0665.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-16193389837740844222011-08-14T04:58:00.000-07:002011-08-14T04:58:32.537-07:00Sometimes... you just have to laugh.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinmDKVtKk-huM0SOW35ej6rc9sZhpAfcIsYUGpwGqT2dHGyU5lb2pFZSA60saE9e18FzhNGDcD1jse__QWHHLrMr0HsMJoGWqt4x1cyTPeFOPlgK78N6KiL8Xg3OsV-I3O-3qQl65EgHNh/s1600/IMG_1640_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinmDKVtKk-huM0SOW35ej6rc9sZhpAfcIsYUGpwGqT2dHGyU5lb2pFZSA60saE9e18FzhNGDcD1jse__QWHHLrMr0HsMJoGWqt4x1cyTPeFOPlgK78N6KiL8Xg3OsV-I3O-3qQl65EgHNh/s320/IMG_1640_2.jpg" width="213" /></a>If you’ve ever had a dog before, you know that something is bound to get destroyed at some point. I can’t even begin to count how many pillows and comforter sets Brody annihilated. Fortunately for me, while the “little things” have been absolutely chewed up or ripped to pieces, I haven’t lost a couch or the blinds or anything of that extent yet. But, hey, I am only twenty-five. I’ve got many years ahead of me... in which I’m sure to acquire one of those problem dogs that gets so freaked out that eating the couch is the only way to make it better.<br />
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My biggest loss was when Benji was living with me. Benji didn’t have a great upbringing, so it only seemed fair that he became anxious when I left him alone in the house with the other dogs. Due to sheer stupidity, I sometimes forgot to shut the door to my bedroom. I came home one day to find the power cord to my Mac chewed up into tiny pieces. Let me also mention that I was struggling to pay for anything at the time... as well as the fact that I’m such an internet addict that the thought of my laptop’s battery dying before the new power cord arrived nearly killed me. I was irate... but what good would yelling do now? Oh... and let’s not forget to mention that ANYTHING Mac is pricey! I immediately ordered a new power cord and crossed my fingers that it would arrive before my laptop died. I swear that I practically proposed to the UPS delivery man when my new power cord arrived just in the knick of time! I think I had 17% battery life left... or something close.<br />
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On top of that, there were plenty of times the three stooges (Benji, Brody, and Meaty) would just get a little too excited and go crazy on whatever they could find. I remember coming home one time to find that the dogs had gotten into a container of powdered chocolate milk... which had been spread so kindly all over the carpet in my bedroom.<br />
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I’ve come home countless times to find shredded toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls. Brody got into the habit of taking anything I left in the sink out while I was gone. After going through puppyhood with quite a few puppies, I’ve even noticed some teethmarks in my coffee table.<br />
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My three dogs seem to have finally settled into their own. I leave the house, and they sleep. There are foster dogs floating in and out, too, but I usually crate them while I’m gone. I’ve learned to block off the carpeted rooms. I’ve learned not to leave anything in the sink. I’ve learned to put everything away... unless I want to come home and pick up the 3 million remnants of whatever it was that left out. Cords are all out of reach, too! When you have free-roaming dogs, you learn to adjust. I’ve come to the realization that dogs are dogs, and you can’t expect them to always be perfect. Our intelligence level is much higher - though I doubt that often - so it’s kind of our job to either crate the dogs or learn to pick up and keep what you want safe out of reach.<br />
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The creation of this entry was sparked by last night’s events. It’s my “birthday weekend” right now, so the last few days have been pretty busy. I haven’t spent as much time with the dogs as I normally do. Apparently yesterday was the tipping point for the dogs. Not only had I been out late the night before, but I also had to leave for a horse show in the morning on Saturday. I left around 9:30AM and was gone much longer than I had expected. I got home at about 5:00PM. Since I don’t have a job, my dogs really aren’t used to me being gone that long. I finally returned home and got to spend a mere half hour with the dogs before it was time to leave again. Since I didn’t have much time... and had to get ready for a party... I decided against feeding them dinner a little early... and just feeding them later. Little did I know... I wouldn’t be getting home until about 10:30PM. Poor Bentley had been in his crate nearly all day... and I was sure that my poor dogs were simply starving at that point! When I finally returned home and opened the door, I was greeted by antsy dogs and a living room FULL of white fluff. The pillow that I always leave on the couch had been murdered. It looked like it had snowed in my living room! That pillow has been sitting on that couch for months, and they’ve never touched it. But... I suppose that was their way of saying, “Mom, you totally neglected us today. Not cool.” Running on a couple hours of sleep in the last 48 hours, the last thing I wanted to do was come home to clean up the innards of my pillow. All I wanted to do was let the dogs out, feed them, let them out once more, then go the hell to bed! But that wasn’t the case.<br />
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I wasn’t mad, though. I was more amused by the fact that that seemed to be their way of saying, “TAKE THAT! You left us all day AND haven’t freakin’ fed us yet! Mommy’s pillow must die!” I walked into my house full of cotton snow and simply couldn’t help from laughing. With dogs, those sorts of things are going to happen every once in a while. There’s no use in getting mad. Technically... it’s your fault. You should have put your stuff away! <br />
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Sometimes... you just have to laugh.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-57544211511116229802011-08-10T19:12:00.000-07:002011-08-10T19:12:03.170-07:00Tied Down<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">With my impending birthday weekend... in which I’ll be celebrating my 25th year on this earth... I’ve run into a problem. Well, it’s not that much of a problem for me as it seems to be for others. Not to mention the quarter life crisis that is sure to come, I feel like I need to discuss something that I hear more often than I’d like to. That question... phrase... whatever... is: Don’t you hate being tied down by all of those animals?</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The blatant answer to that question is... ABSOLUTELY NOT! “You should really stop fostering...” and “You need to get rid of some of those animals. You can never do anything...” are the forbidden sentences to cross my path this week.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Yes, having these animal companions in my house does keep me from going places or staying out too long. Preparing for vacation is almost so stressful that it’s not worth ever leaving. Let’s not forget to mention that hiring pet-sitters or finding a good place to board is practically as expensive as vacation is.</span>The more I thought about sacrificing vacations and time spent out, the more I realized that I prefer to be “tied down” opposed to having that freedom. I’m a homebody. I like coming home to my animals. I’d much rather spend an evening huddled up on the couch with my dogs than I would out drinking with friends. It’s not that I don’t love my friends as much as my animals. That’s not it at all. I just prefer to relax at home surrounded by my dogs and cats. Ever since I was a child, I had to have my “quiet time” away from the hustle of life. I’d spend hours upstairs in the playroom with my animal toys... making them talk to each other and embark on incredible adventures. I still need my “quiet time” and always have. That’s just me.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I like going home to tend to my animals. I’m not angry that I can’t stay out too long or go on vacations. I have responsibilities to take care of. While you might think I’m tied down, I feel the opposite. I’m freer than most of you will ever be.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9k8Mx19ogaDS49MH5XBzMJe-acOaO-Zjh2fV7rSrhD0WAYwAhyxC_E9GZQRHVzV4xnWzb_uf3Z1iVl1cEAWvkxB5enJmiXLLrcb2bSBqsWPSqNgEefKlJE_Nk6Gk8amhg5bW-Jg4pjQMh/s1600/IMG_1525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9k8Mx19ogaDS49MH5XBzMJe-acOaO-Zjh2fV7rSrhD0WAYwAhyxC_E9GZQRHVzV4xnWzb_uf3Z1iVl1cEAWvkxB5enJmiXLLrcb2bSBqsWPSqNgEefKlJE_Nk6Gk8amhg5bW-Jg4pjQMh/s320/IMG_1525.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So for those who understand where I’m coming from, we’ll keep our little secret. When we say, “I’m sorry, I can’t stay much longer. I have to get home and feed the dogs...”, I won’t roll my eyes and wonder why you “tie yourself down” with all of those pets. I get it. I’m glad that I have dogs... because I love them, and they enrich my life. But... on top of that... I’m glad I have dogs... because if gives me an excuse to come home, slap on my PJs, and spend some time with the souls that love me most. </span></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-24904665858176309892011-07-30T16:31:00.000-07:002011-07-31T04:00:26.797-07:00"Peace in ourselves, peace in the world."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOB9-lv3TWK7N8z8PUjiLdr6FLZXGP6K8PalQckoyIgB5dEYWr7TsNU1gV2oFcvSkJIgypmLicu2FiKT2KVaacbDic-5wqr9ORW6SxDwq9hkjrVJ0j9QTTOQWwlRRZ88-N2vtwJTUmL8G/s1600/LarsCart" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOB9-lv3TWK7N8z8PUjiLdr6FLZXGP6K8PalQckoyIgB5dEYWr7TsNU1gV2oFcvSkJIgypmLicu2FiKT2KVaacbDic-5wqr9ORW6SxDwq9hkjrVJ0j9QTTOQWwlRRZ88-N2vtwJTUmL8G/s320/LarsCart" width="320" /></a></div>Today was a day filled with both happiness and sadness. As I drove to the<a href="http://www.k9justiceleague.org/"> K9 Justice League</a> adoption event, I thought about how much I'd miss Lars when he's finally adopted. Letting your foster dog go is a funny kind of thing. Your heart feels so many emotions when the day finally comes. You're sad because you're losing a dog that you've let into your heart for however long. You're happy because you helped save that dog's life. You gave that dog a home and the environment he or she needed to have a chance. YOU made a difference. What closes the deal for me - what makes letting these dogs go bearable - is the thought that I'll be able to let another dog into my home that needs just as much help as the one before. All emotions aside, though, the event went well, and Lars had a lot of people interested him - some that fit... and some that simply didn't. Lars had a good day and seemed to enjoy all of the attention! How can you NOT love a handsome boy like Lars?! I'm shocked that he hasn't been adopted yet... simply because Lars is my "dream dog". Like the rest of you, I can't adopt another dog. My house is full... and fostering is important to me. If I could, Lars would have a home with me in a millisecond! So... I just have to keep holding out for that 'perfect home' for my Brindle Boy Wonder. Giving him up WILL be hard. He doesn't make it easy. Lars is all about snuggling and looking cute! He's pretty damn hard to resist.<br />
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The other kids were excited to see Lars when I got home... but the poor bugger was so tired that he immediately decided to take a nap. After everyone got their sillies out (excluding Lars), I decided it was about time for Lyla to have a bath since I had some extra time. She's all about getting dirty! Lyla likes sunbathing as much as Jackson does. Maybe even more! She heads outside and plops herself down in the dirt without a care in the world. Lyla - well - she's crazy. She's a Pit/Lab mix with a lot of energy and attitude... though friendly as all with other dogs... and even cats! She's just hard-headed. Anyway, it was time to give the princess a bath. I placed her in the tub, wet her down, shampooed her, and rinsed her off. Throughout this entire process, Lyla stood like a statue and cooperated for her bath. After the bath was over... it was time for the blow-dry... which she also showed no resistance to. It was then that I started to get all emotional and mommy-like. That was just the beginning. While Lyla is still wild and obnoxious... I wondered where the heck my insane dog went. Whether she was flailing around and growling about having her nails trimmed or jumping through the screen to join the neighbor's party at midnight... I just couldn't believe that my little girl was finally starting to grow up. I was planning on saving an entry like this for Lyla's first birthday... but it seems to have happened a little sooner.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Yb6TdNEN8hVaWsK4KmWe_5CNtCR8rfx7Ji1DGzpTQpIu7VWdNCBTwyZrJYbfOuZbkRcI9HBmu5Oj_t9WnzqIMrNhfT4RHh4Uo64PkiODrV6Pqnz5BUEzAyYarHneJYPqnt72rOdqi6ME/s1600/BroandLy" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Yb6TdNEN8hVaWsK4KmWe_5CNtCR8rfx7Ji1DGzpTQpIu7VWdNCBTwyZrJYbfOuZbkRcI9HBmu5Oj_t9WnzqIMrNhfT4RHh4Uo64PkiODrV6Pqnz5BUEzAyYarHneJYPqnt72rOdqi6ME/s320/BroandLy" width="320" /></a>When did my 4-week-old foster puppy become an adult?! I remember falling in love with her so clearly. Brody was a year old... plus some. I had gone through hell with that dog. The last thing I wanted was another puppy. But then this little Pit mix puppy came into my life. She was adorable, loved Brody, Jackson tolerated her, and I found myself spending a lot more time with her than her two sisters. I loved them all... but there was something about this little lady that drew me to her. I couldn't imagine letting her go. I racked my brain over and over and over again. Can I afford another dog? Do I really want to go through puppy hood again? What the heck am I thinking?! But I truly loved her... and I couldn't imagine separating Lyla from Brody. So I adopted yet another dog... and strapped myself down to deal with puppy hood again. Honestly... it was crazy all over again. I took some time off from fostering to deal with integrating my senior dog, less than two-year-old GSD mix, and my brand new Pit/Lab puppy. Everything went well... because I believe that these dogs were all meant to be together. It wasn't terribly long before I was fostering again. I'm glad that Lyla grew up like that, too, because she was exposed to a lot of different dogs throughout her maturation. Now... no dog is a stranger. She loves everyone!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NLak2DA9icB_IlbMRhMKE-o-xexiN0jxJePCGz-ewXiZuWoEMZdrRypBYmSy4HcorWPz8U8rSyYLOTT75SXXfbQeR9dLdjm0XIUZUPGe1uXh-3GbAGynCwi0USXSk9cUTi7nk4IzCAKg/s1600/IMG_1416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NLak2DA9icB_IlbMRhMKE-o-xexiN0jxJePCGz-ewXiZuWoEMZdrRypBYmSy4HcorWPz8U8rSyYLOTT75SXXfbQeR9dLdjm0XIUZUPGe1uXh-3GbAGynCwi0USXSk9cUTi7nk4IzCAKg/s320/IMG_1416.jpg" width="320" /></a>In the midst of my emotionally strange day, I turned the television to a channel in which Marley and Me was on! That's NEVER a good idea. I cried through the book. The movie? Even more traumatizing! I was already all teary-eyed about my Lyla growing up... when I started to think about Jackson as I was watching the movie. I really should have just turned it off! Jackson is about 8-years-old - as best as we can estimate. Jackson was the first dog that was really mine. I rescued him and restored his health. He was the first dog that I really saved. When I say that I'll need to be institutionalized when Jackson goes, I'm not lying! Don't get me started on how I feel while watching Marley and Me. It involves bawling, hyperventilating, and clutching my hands over my heart - because the thought of losing one of my babies hurts that much - and it's inevitable when your dogs start to get older... or even if some terrible accident happens. Either way, it's hard to lose these little four-legged friends.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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So what's there to say after my night of tears? Other than the ones who comforted me were my dogs. My dogs and my foster dogs both sprung into action and licked my tears away. Seriously... watching Marley and Me had me bawling like a baby!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7A34kuOkh-Ztrv7dvKPQUvQRjb-z4HuyRv7CIChCplzyjNii0XZ-V5tayZ4yXPznOKY7_s0pLeHK0e751bR5sZtZ43T7rsNe_31-Lfk9yexZ8LUH9UVUk1hXdH4Q-wRJG6SctEwTUYRw0/s1600/IMG_1505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7A34kuOkh-Ztrv7dvKPQUvQRjb-z4HuyRv7CIChCplzyjNii0XZ-V5tayZ4yXPznOKY7_s0pLeHK0e751bR5sZtZ43T7rsNe_31-Lfk9yexZ8LUH9UVUk1hXdH4Q-wRJG6SctEwTUYRw0/s320/IMG_1505.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Anyway, enough of that. On a more positive note, I'm very happy to say that I met a lot of pro-Pit folks today... including a 69-year-old woman who had a Pit already... and recently adopted one from AC. Today gave me hope. I cringe when I have to say a dog is a Pit or a Pit mix... because seeing THAT look - the look that you get from people who don't know anything about the breed - is kind of hard for me to deal with... simply because I just don't get it. However, I did meet a lot of people who didn't shy away from the word "Pit Bull" today... and that's more than I could ask for. I only hope that people continue to educate themselves about the breed and spread the love rather than the hate!Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-6760168208821495532011-07-26T21:18:00.000-07:002011-07-27T03:53:02.053-07:00"Life isn't about finding yourself. It's about creating yourself."Every foster parent has dealt with the inevitable. The more you foster, the more likely you are to come across that dog that you really wish could be yours.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtRRG77CHjuW9YIK2USlDds5OMzRzbSI-nEulvum_aBbPZQGBrX1xJ0kzzapKrSfvvjU4K4bK_mN2vybkWSmz7SP5KyX60EuplXATAeNz2uTW3ozUYmvzjMIh7MYZsiyoHNHL7TcabO2n/s1600/IMG_1091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtRRG77CHjuW9YIK2USlDds5OMzRzbSI-nEulvum_aBbPZQGBrX1xJ0kzzapKrSfvvjU4K4bK_mN2vybkWSmz7SP5KyX60EuplXATAeNz2uTW3ozUYmvzjMIh7MYZsiyoHNHL7TcabO2n/s320/IMG_1091.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
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It was October of 2010 when three puppies came into my life. They were Pit/Lab girls... and their mom gave birth to them in the heat of August all while greatly malnourished and tied to a tree. There were ten puppies altogether, but one didn't make it. While Hope was stuck in the shelter due to the court case, the remaining nine puppies were welcomed into K9 Justice League with open arms. Once my first foster dog, Zoe, was adopted, I agreed to foster three of the puppies. It was then that Sheba, Tiana, and Lush entered my life. They were about four or five weeks old and a lot of work... but so insanely cute that it didn't matter if they pottied and got poo all over me in their excitement to see that I was home. How can you be mad or disgusted when puppies that cute are that happy to see you?!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEssTtwcAcnYHfQMUPbKe2Trx1qmEjLIKJgGPJ4IVFyXXKVptmR2SXwCI6AKfBB7bYrd0B76xf9SMc15wF5Yf4pHt62xMd-sP0kJ6Q_CVPdEWB-lb-I-1noZPKhs9j6a8W2Ge5gxpcpNR/s1600/IMG_4657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEssTtwcAcnYHfQMUPbKe2Trx1qmEjLIKJgGPJ4IVFyXXKVptmR2SXwCI6AKfBB7bYrd0B76xf9SMc15wF5Yf4pHt62xMd-sP0kJ6Q_CVPdEWB-lb-I-1noZPKhs9j6a8W2Ge5gxpcpNR/s320/IMG_4657.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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It wasn't long before I noticed Sheba spending more time with my dogs than her siblings. She loved Brody... and Jackson didn't seem to mind her. Jackson is a grumpy, old man... so for him not to mind is a big feat in itself! It wasn't long before I noticed that I was spending more time will Sheba, taking more pictures, talking about her more. I had no plans to adopt another puppy. Absolutely not. Brody was absolute HELL when he was a puppy... and I wanted nothing to do with them ever again. But all of the signs pointed in the other direction. Sheba stayed with my dogs, slept or sat in my lap when people came to look at them, and really seemed to have made herself at home... in MY home. I racked my brain over and over again to decide whether or not I could handle another dog AND still foster. In the end, I adopted Sheba (now Lyla) and continued to foster. I'm not sure if I would have adopted her if I couldn't continue to foster, though. Fostering is near to my heart and so very important to me. It's almost been a year now... and Lyla has done her job by driving me insane... but being so incredibly cute that I can't stand it... or be mad! How can you be made at that face?!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXb4svoyM7oabvAglijOxzt_yDShE-T1CPoaANj00kYa4HNMfIziMKIFMNXZhzxLVClHy_fGzzEnTPa2dNE5A1CjC4ro0x_rV4vzil-uwaNRj5UgCNHgcB625ZSdUYeKrY1qdqMNyheR4/s1600/IMG_1175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXb4svoyM7oabvAglijOxzt_yDShE-T1CPoaANj00kYa4HNMfIziMKIFMNXZhzxLVClHy_fGzzEnTPa2dNE5A1CjC4ro0x_rV4vzil-uwaNRj5UgCNHgcB625ZSdUYeKrY1qdqMNyheR4/s320/IMG_1175.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I can't believe it's almost been a year since I've added my beautiful girl to my family! And, almost a year later, I've come to the same problem. Not so much a problem since I know I can't adopt another dog... but my heart aches over the fact that I can't adopt my handsome, brindle boy wonder, Lars! Everything about the situation says, "Emily, you are his mom!"... yet every bone in my body is dedicated to continuing to open my home to foster dogs that need that special place to stay for just a little bit. I am well aware that Lars will find his forever family soon... and they will be perfect for him. Fate will be in charge of someone else for now.<br />
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For the time, though, I'll love him as my own... and keep my fingers crossed that he's adopted soon. The longer they stay, the harder it gets. Fortunately I don't really have a choice in this matter... because fostering has become a very important part of my life as well as the people involved in the rescue have, too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnZSy0AlT-Sk02ZGVI4ZEucpXWT5vT7k8fcXXcy8TetYUrLHkBsrh8Nz4PYthZc3veq-EGdO6GEijc40HFUowbMTaEiQhmGZkCBpL0NGWhaQDTkppy0RRSHrd7rK_rSlssHRYSwrYsdLb/s1600/IMG_1368_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnZSy0AlT-Sk02ZGVI4ZEucpXWT5vT7k8fcXXcy8TetYUrLHkBsrh8Nz4PYthZc3veq-EGdO6GEijc40HFUowbMTaEiQhmGZkCBpL0NGWhaQDTkppy0RRSHrd7rK_rSlssHRYSwrYsdLb/s320/IMG_1368_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">You remember what happened last time I saw a puppy</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> sleeping on Brody like that?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndshqlqRFgcJcQps4w65gKLpzs-1QSV6iMp9ohg3eE-vOHt6gd4Xny_x1y1wkuDhJyULI0iTeisoLoq-MVFsdUTex063IPcUA4biTc6jclxRNKSne0478VbCtGo1TQ4IoUCG3mPKqbeLe/s1600/DSCN2511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndshqlqRFgcJcQps4w65gKLpzs-1QSV6iMp9ohg3eE-vOHt6gd4Xny_x1y1wkuDhJyULI0iTeisoLoq-MVFsdUTex063IPcUA4biTc6jclxRNKSne0478VbCtGo1TQ4IoUCG3mPKqbeLe/s320/DSCN2511.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">She never left!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-31598263700386591792011-07-15T19:18:00.000-07:002011-07-15T19:29:59.124-07:00"Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen."Where to begin? It seems like so much has happened since the last update... though that wasn't that long ago.<br />
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Lonnie, my last foster dog, is now living the life with another foster family. K9 Justice League arranged this situation so I could foster a dog from <a href="http://www.pawsofhertfordcounty.com/">Paws of Hertford County</a> when it was time for the pull. Lonnie will be at his current foster home throughout the week... and another foster family during the weekend. This will be good for him... because he needs exposure after the life he's lived. It'll be good for him.<br />
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I still have Lars. He had a meet and greet... and the current dog of the house wasn't really having it. They got along well outside in the yard, but it was a different story once they were inside. I'm in love with him. He's going to be hard to let go. First of all, I love brindle dogs. I think they are beautiful. Secondly, he's a Pit Bull. Strike 2... in a good way. Strike 3? He's the best snuggler in the world. Not to mention the fact that I had him his first night in the rescue. I know I can't adopt another dog, though, so that makes it a little easier. He's just going to be hard to see off. I really do adore the pup... and I really don't like having puppies that much!<br />
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We made our trip to <a href="http://www.pawsofhertfordcounty.com/">Paws of Hertford County</a> on Wednesday afternoon. I rode with my fellow foster mom and had a blast! We got there and took a tour, and I realized how hard the volunteers worked with so little that they had. While they have a few indoor kennels for the dogs, most of them are outdoors. But... even outdoors in the heat... the dogs seemed happy. They had baby pools to play in... people to pay attention to them, and seemed quite content. We got to see the cat/kitten room, too, and they seemed quite happy. It was clear that the volunteers were working hard to take care of the animals there.<br />
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We went to an outdoor yard full of about 10 dogs. Those were the dogs that needed our help the most... some of which who had been there the longest. I didn't realized that choosing would be so hard. One of the K9 Justice League creators was there and in charge of who came home with us... but she was also counting on us to figure out which dogs we thought would do best in our houses. Tessa was the first dog that caught my eye. She was a sweet soul... but we soon found out that she wasn't good with cats. In my house, it's necessary to be good with cats... considering the fact that I have four of my own. I also really liked Theo, a mix that probably needs to have his eye removed. Then came Perseus. I had looked at pictures already... and Perseus hadn't been one of my picks. I'm a black dog girl... a Bully dog girl... a three-legged dog girl... one-eyed dog girl... not a yellow Lab mix girl. But little Perseus was thin and sweet and happy-go-lucky. Perseus and I hung out for a minute... bonded... and that was that. He came home with me as my new foster. I didn't know the decision would be so hard... but I was truly picking a dog for my dogs... not for me. If it were up to me, I would have picked some random Pit Bull... but when you have as many dogs as I do in a house, you have to pick your new dog for your dogs, not for you. Perseus (now Bentley) came to my house nervous and not so sure about all four dogs in my house. Soon enough, Bentley and Lars were best of friends. I was proud of my three dogs... accepting my new foster without a blink of an eye. Even my cats are used to new dogs coming into the house!<br />
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Bentley wasn't thrilled about spending the night in the crate alone. Once I dragged the crate into my room... he was fine. He just wants to know that he's with people. He's been doing well with house-training. He seems to understand that. At first, I was worried about training him. He really didn't seem to comprehend the idea of "sit." He's just hungry... and wanted to jump up on me all of the time. Tonight, though, Bentley figured out how to "sit." I figured that I'd try "down" once he got "sit." He got it! It'll take some consistent work... but he knows what he's doing. He's still young... so I can't expect much... and who knows what he lived through beforehand? He's truly a sweet dog. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body.<br />
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So... I've got a house full of dogs... and I can't express enough how thankful I am for the <a href="http://www.pawsofhertfordcounty.com/">Paws of Hertford County</a> and <a href="http://www.k9justiceleague.org/">K9 Justice League</a> for doing everything they can to save the lives of dogs. I'm glad to be a part of it, too. And I wish that more people would put their selfishness aside and try to foster a dog. Yes, it's hard to give up a dog you've put your all into... but it's even better to know that you just saved a dog's life... and opened up a space for another once that dog is adopted.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-66414902303356552272011-07-11T20:40:00.000-07:002011-07-11T20:49:08.191-07:00"No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as the dog does."It seems quite fitting that Lars <i>may</i> be spending his last night with me - the person who had him for the first night after he was rescued. The little brindle wonder has a meet and greet with a family tomorrow. My fingers are crossed that they fall in love with him as quickly as everyone else has!<br />
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Brittni spent a little over a month with Lars and did an awesome job! Puppies are difficult... so props to anyone who can foster a puppy. He sits very nicely and waits for his treat! He's definitely been raised for that month and some in good hands! I've fostered quite a few puppies... and I feel like giving up puppies is harder than giving up the adults. There's something about raising a puppy that makes that attachment stronger. I love all of my foster dogs and have a hard time giving any of them up... but there's just something about puppies. I honestly don't even care for puppies much. They aren't house-trained, they bark, they have a ton of energy, you have to teach them everything, and they just about drive you insane. But I suppose that motherly instinct kicks in... and that's that.<br />
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Lars spent some time on the other side of the gate while the other dogs sniffed him and checked him out. They've already met... but just briefly. It was the typical meeting. The grouchy old man that he is, Jackson growled. Lyla wanted to kiss him to death. Brody greeted, wagged his tail, then headed back to the couch to sleep. Lonnie was so insanely excited that he jumped up and down... vertically... for probably 15 minutes straight. Once my crew calmed down, it was time to open the gate. There was a lot of "talking", wrestling, and pure chaos. Gloria, of course, was out and about. I swear that cat thinks she's a dog. Gloria showed Lars that she was the boss and chasing cats would not be acceptable. Seriously, keeping Gloria... best decision ever. She's been great with all of the foster dogs! Such a good teacher! Like I needed another cat in my life... but... they pick you. When they fit in as well as Gloria did... you can't just send them to someone else!<br />
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Aside from adding Lars to the family... for perhaps just a short time... everyone is doing well. I went on vacation for a week and left all of the dogs with different people. All of their caretakers did a fantastic job with them! Of course... everyone seems happy to be home. Lonnie has been doing well. He seems much more confident these days. I think spending some time at other houses did him good! Not quite as nervous in new situations. Such a happy-go-lucky boy! Lonnie even got a little media coverage while I was gone! WTKR, our local news station, has an "Adoptable Pet of the Day" segment at noon daily... and I was able to get in touch with the reporter over Facebook and have Lonnie featured! I do hope that he finds his forever home soon. He deserves it.<br />
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After hours of playing and figuring out the pecking order, the chaos seems to have subsided. The cats are all napping... Gloria on the coffee table, Cricket in my unpacked suitcase, and Cali on the bed. Lonnie is asleep in the crate, Brody, Lyla, and Lars are all asleep on the couch next to me, and Jackson is standing here by the couch wondering why it's not a little bigger. I need to buy a little chair just for him. The couch only fits three dogs if I'm sitting on it, too! Unless they double up... but Jackson is weird about that. Hmmm... and as I typed that... Brody got off of the couch and is now sleeping on the floor with Gloria. Cricket has changed his sleeping spot to the coffee table... and Jackson has curled up where Brody had been on the couch. Compromise is good.<br />
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So... like I said... my house is about as chaotic as it can get. But these quiet moments are moments to remember. All I see are content dogs... and they are content because they spent the day playing and romping and being happy... and maybe even driving me a little crazy. I just don't get how anyone could mistreat these sweet souls. I wouldn't trade my life for anything.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSIG6A6KKRU_tsDwYBK_oMjKwyDfLwb470biBpcQ-yiY6eUoq7PjiowsEvAjE4ZcTQrgWC8fv11JX2dkm2VSrlGFE5OgRL9Jk-rPjIjvUxgMK5C9POwNz88bJDmhLcvVkYQokUCNNUedr/s1600/LARS" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSIG6A6KKRU_tsDwYBK_oMjKwyDfLwb470biBpcQ-yiY6eUoq7PjiowsEvAjE4ZcTQrgWC8fv11JX2dkm2VSrlGFE5OgRL9Jk-rPjIjvUxgMK5C9POwNz88bJDmhLcvVkYQokUCNNUedr/s320/LARS" width="228" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo by Brittni Naylor<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">Let's not forget that K9 Justice League is heading to North Carolina to the Paws of Hertford County shelter to save some dogs! I'm lucky enough to be tagging along! How exciting! I'm not sure if I'll be lucky enough to bring a new foster home or not... but at least some will be saved. It all depends on the situation with Lonnie and Lars... whether or not I get to bring anyone home. We'll see! I'm just excited that I get to tag along and check the shelter out. The Paws of Hertford County people are good people... so I want to get a taste of their world, too. Time will tell... keeping fingers crossed... </div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831839764076847423.post-52713144814440510172011-06-26T17:28:00.000-07:002011-06-26T17:28:00.957-07:00"Chaos is a friend of mine."My house is pure chaos.<br />
I've stepped in puddles of pee.<br />
I've cleaned up explosive diarrhea while gagging and trying not to breathe.<br />
My days revolve around making sure the dogs get enough playtime.<br />
My days begin between 5AM-6AM and don't end until after 11PM most nights.<br />
Nights are spent contorting my body to a position in which all of the dogs also fit on the bed.<br />
The cats make "music" throughout the night by knocking everything off of everything.<br />
I spend unimaginable amounts of money on litter, meat for the dogs, cat/ferret food, bedding for the ferrets/snake, bowls, toys, paper towels, leashes, collars, vet visits, and so on...<br />
I can't be away from the dogs for more than 4 hours without getting anxious.<br />
I've come home to eaten remotes, rolls of paper towels, plasticware (stolen out of the sink!), mail, dog beds, and quite a few other items.<br />
Vacation is practically unimaginable... and when I do leave... I'm always worried about the animals.<br />
I sweep/vacuum multiple times a day... and there's STILL hair everywhere.<br />
I have to walk most of the dogs separately... and I usually have anywhere between 3-5 at a time!<br />
It's loud, messy, exhausting, and chaotic.<br />
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But... I wouldn't trade that chaos for anything.<br />
<br />
I'm greeted by wagging tails daily... and Gloria the Cat.<br />
I can't not laugh when I watch the dogs run into the backyard and imagine a herd of horses. That's what it sounds like!<br />
There's nothing better than waking up to the sound of thumping tails.<br />
Looking outside and seeing all of the dogs sunbathing on the deck makes me happy.<br />
When the dogs are outside, the cats sit around me and purr.<br />
I get a box at restaurants just to bring my dogs home the leftovers.<br />
They know when I'm sad.<br />
They listen when I talk.<br />
They give me kisses, let me hug them, and allow me to torture them by taking thousands of pictures.<br />
Anything obnoxious that they've done before can't outweigh the love they have given me.<br />
I love my pets... whether they drive me crazy or not.<br />
I'd be lost without them.<br />
<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">So, yes, my life is chaotic. I'm sleep-deprived, my wallet is empty, I feel like I work... but don't have a job, but... most importantly... my heart is full.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Peace, Love, and Paw Prints... Emily</div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13067813283450635574noreply@blogger.com2