Introducing... Dude!

Ummmm.... how did I get a two year old Golden Doodle? Dude (short for Doodle) actually comes to us from Collie and Sheltie Rescue. Seriously.

I got an SOS call from CSRSEVA. A former adopter, volunteer, and all around great guy found himself in a very regretable position. He unfortunately is sick and was given a diagnosis and treatment option that would put him in a position to no longer work, let alone care for his four dogs. He goes to the hospital almost immediately and the great people at the rescue took in his three shelties of course, but what about that Doodle?

Who could say no to that face? Turns out I couldn't. They were in a pinch and I really can't turn away a good dog. I am not going to lie though, I was more than a little apprehensive when I got the call. I heard things around the dog park, this mix is not for the faint at heart. I was mentally preparing myself for a wild child, and what did I get?

I got a very sweet boy. He hasn't run a muck in the house (though he does let loose some in the yard), he is quiet and gentle with my little boy and I was thrilled to see that he was courteous at meal time with Relay. Dude does counter surf and requires a gentle leader to be able to walk, but he sits command and responds to his name when I call. I know that the rescue wants to ensure that Dude gets to obedience classes, but this love has great promise to becoming a wonderful dog.

Read More

People behaving badly at the dog park

After a nice long trip cross country, one not so nice accident, and shot up to Jersey to pick up Relay, we finally made it back home. After the 7 hours in a car yesterday, my pup deserved a trip to the park. Who could have guessed it would have ended up in drama?

A lady had just moved back to the neighborhood with her new dog, a male terrier mix puppy. We got into the park, and she is holding the puppy, explaining that he is very under-socialized, and we nodded understanding. Relay had a very similar story, but instead of not understanding boundaries, his problem had been he was too intimidated to play. Thankfully, my boy out grew that, as I'm sure this pup will outgrow his over eager personality and learn to give space.

So, all continued as you would think at a park, dogs sniff, they chase, they play. At one point, however, the puppy was a bit too rumbustious, and somewhere in all the mouthing, Relay got hurt and yelped. Close by, I stepped in, and separated the boys. After that point, I had my dog keep his distance, not wanting him to get bit again. This it seems did not sit well with the puppy's owner. Jeff and I let a few baiting comments slide, and she even tried to engage Jeff directly, and he didn't respond.

It wasn't until she turned around and asked, "If you aren't going to let your dog play, then why are you even here?" in a less than friendly manner, that Jeff even responded. From there it escalated between the two of them very quickly. I tagged Jeff out of the proverbial ring and spoke to her calmly, and ended the long debate as best as I could with a "we will have to agree to disagree."

Throughout the whole exchange, the two dogs in question peacefully coexisted. Dogs don't seem to hold large grudges; nips happen, some days they want to play, others they don't, maybe they argue over a toy, or a place to sit. And I'm sure when we meet again, they will play or they won't and that will be the extent of it.

Unfortunately, with humans it is never so simple. Maybe I was too naive to think that the dynamics of people would ever be a factor at the dog park, and up to this point we were fine with all the "regulars." But now it seems like we have ourselves a nemesis whether we want one or not.

*Dramatic sigh* I have no training tools for how to improve interactions at the dog park when people are concerned. Any suggestions?

Read More

Dealing with the unexpected

When we planned a last minute trip across country, I thought I was very clever in setting up some posts with automatic publication times. I checked up on the blog, twitter, and facebook occationally to show that there was someone still out there and had planned an apology for the neglect, and had intended to post a few pictures of our trip.

Unfortunately, we got into an accident the weekend after we came home. Everyone is FINE! Relay wasn't in the car thankfully, but the car was totaled. Now I'm spending my time working with my insurance, shopping around for a new car, and trying to stay lucid despite some pretty strong muscle relaxers.

So, please just bare with me as I deal with all this craziness. Thank you.

Read More

Review your rescues

You can review your mechanic, your stylist, your realtor. But what about your rescue? Not only can you, but I encourage it!

There's only two ways this can go. Either you liked your rescue group (in which case you want to shout it loud for all the internet to read, which brings positive attention to your group) or you didn't like your rescue group (in which case you should let everyone know so that people avoid having the same kind of troubles).

Here is a list of websites that are perfect for getting your opinion out there.

The Top 4
Yelp: This is a great website that reviews just about everything and gets the best search results.

Guidestar: This site is amazing. From here you can not only review your organization, but you can also look up quite a bit of vital statistics for the group, such as tax records, not for profit status, etc.

Volunteer Match: This site helps people find specific volunteer job listings and needs from groups, but also allows for reviews of the groups as well. (A great way to solicit fosters!)

Dogster: This site is heavily trafficked by dog owners across the country, why not add your group to increase its exposure? The reviews here are the most user friendly.

And a few more:
Zootoo, Find the Best, Canine Chat

Please, make sure that your review are honest, and that criticism and praise are clear, constructive, and respectful. Bringing attention to your rescue groups not only helps them, but also the cause of homeless pets across the country, so get your volunteers to start typing!

Read More

Spotlight: Foster Dogs

You know I'm all about a website dedicated to the support of foster families.

Foster Dogs is a tremendous resource, and should be your first stop should you consider fostering a homeless pet. It touches on basic information about what fostering is, common problems you may encounter, steps for a successful adoption, tips on incorporating your new foster dog in your home and so much more.

But really, what I love most about FosterDogs.com is their Yahoo! Group. These are real people (over 650 strong) who are in the trenches, just like me. I go there for support, to ask dumb questions, to vent, to find direction, to converse with people who are experiencing the same things that I am.  And I have found some terrific people there. People who have been fostering longer than I've been on this earth, who know just what to say, people that simply offer kind words of encouragement.

My inbox is always open to anyone who has a question about fostering, but I suggest jumping on this group and listen in to get a feel for what the day to day is really like. It has been an incredible and positive experience for me, and I can't wait to see you all there.

Read More