Introducing Juno and Bear

Recently I received a Facebook message from a friend.  There was a dog at an area shelter who was believed to be deaf.  He was scheduled to be euthanized and she wanted to know if I could help.  I love helping all sorts of dogs, but deaf dogs just so happen to be my favorite to rescue.  Not only because they're most in need of saving, but also because they are so much fun to have around.  They sleep soundly, but then when they are awake they hardly miss a thing in spite of no hearing.  Someone knocking at the door?  The deaf dog sometimes barks before the hearing dog because they spotted the car headlights turning into the driveway, or the person walking up the front porch stairs.  Deaf dogs are good at noticing what is going on around them, and they are more attentive than most hearing dogs because they don't want to miss anything.  They bond more closely than hearing dogs because they have to watch you to see what is going on instead of just waiting until you call them.  They also are often easier to train because they aren't so easily distracted by the noises around them.  So while there are exceptions to every rule, in general I would always choose a deaf dog over a hearing dog.  And when I got this message from a friend, I just so happened to have room for another foster dog.  That is how Juno came to live with me.  And while checking out pictures of the other dogs at the shelter, I fell in love with Bear's picture.  And that is how Bear tagged along on Juno's rescue.

Juno was said by the shelter to be three years old.  The volunteers there knew better and guessed he was around eight years.  It turns out that our vet estimates him at at least ten years old.  This is Juno's picture from when he was at the shelter:

 He was very dirty and had double ear infections and was in a lot of pain. 

After a bath, some medicine, and a few days to relax, Juno turned into a different dog! 

I'd say that he's a completely different dog, but he's still grumpy sometimes!  He is hard of hearing, but it's most likely just due to age.  He has some arthritis in his back legs and doesn't like to be touched there or picked up (and he makes it very clear that he doesn't like it!)  So he's going to need a very patient home with no kids around.  In the meantime he's taken over the biggest dog bed in my living room and spends almost all his time there just relaxing.  I may have him for a long time, but he's the easiest dog ever and gets along with all the other dogs so it is no work at all to foster him.  He just deserves a place to live out his life in peace and quiet, somewhere warm and safe and clean. 

I was more worried about taking in Bear without being able to evaluate him first.  The facility was a couple hours away and I didn't have the chance to go meet the dogs before they were scheduled to be put down, so I had to take a chance on what the dogs would be like based on the volunteers and workers at the shelter.  The Animal Control officer said he dog-tested Bear and Bear did fine, but anytime you take in a large dog like Bear (he weighs 70 pounds) you have to be ready for anything.  Bear was very vocal and barked all the time at first.  But within a few days he settled in and started doing better.  He got along well with the other foster dogs, and it didn't take long for me to realize he was a wonderful dog. 


Bear's picture from the shelter

  Another foster volunteer took Bear home to evaluate him, and he did great with her other animals and with adjusting to a new situation.  He was already house-trained and knew some basic commands, and he quickly learned that it was much better to sit when wanting something than to bark.  This picture is from his foster home where he was staying after he was at my house. 

I sent this picture to my niece and sister because they were looking for another dog, and they quickly fell in love.  And last week, Bear was officially adopted!  He's doing great now at my sister's house.  He gets along well with her other dog, does great with the kids, and has received a new name of Truman. 

Cutest Puppies Ever

I'm quite sure that my two current foster puppies - Wags and Wrigley - are the cutest puppies ever.  Forget all the adorable puppies you see on calendars or commercials.  Never mind that all puppies are cute.  Ignore when I posted before that this was the cutest puppy ever.  That was before I met Wags and Wrigley.

Wrigley does not like to get his picture taken. Or rather, he doesn't mind getting his picture taken as long as he doesn't have to leave my side. But in almost every picture of Wrigley, you will see either my foot or my leg or some other part of my body that he is touching.  This can make taking his picture something like a game of Twister.

It's not his fault he loves me so much. It's not his fault he feels most at ease when he's right next to me. It's not his fault he's a little cuddlebug who is happiest getting a belly rub. But it does make it challenging to get a good picture of one of the cutest puppies ever.

And then there's Wags. He's a bit more independent. He'll happily lay in his dog bed and look adorable while I take his picture.

At least until he's distracted by a movement or a noise or just the sight of a toy that he could be playing with. This one has a short attention span. But he's a puppy, so it's allowed.

Wags went to the vet today to get neutered and vaccinated and all that good stuff. The vet said his tail is deformed, but doesn't need any medical treatment. So he's an extra special puppy because not only is he a very unique mix of breeds (i.e. a mutt), he's also got a one-of-a-kind tail! Wags will be ready for adoption on Saturday, and will get to go to the adoption event with Venture and Zoe and all the other adoptable dogs! Wrigley has to be stuck with me for a few more weeks though because he's too cute to give up still undergoing treatment for the missing hair on his face. Sigh - the sacrifices I make - another few weeks of puppy cuteness and puppy snuggles and puppy kisses. All part of the burden of being a foster parent.

Cat-O-Lympics

In honor of the Winter Olympics, one of my blogger friends is hosting her own Cat-O-Lympics - and even better, she's allowing dogs to compete!  So of course we had to enter a few of the events.  Since some of the pets pictured here have since been adopted, we do not expect these to be official entries, but thought it would be fun to share these pictures anyway. 

For the Bare Paw Fighting event, hosted by Milo and Alfie, we have Sedna attacking Venus:

Sadly, Venus was blinded by the flash of the camera and was unable to retaliate. 

For the Competitive Napping event hosted by Huffle Mawson, we have two entries. 
First is Reese, sleeping on the couch.

She's a most serious competitor, and enjoys sleeping in odd positions just about anywhere.

Second is Bear, the Puppy Bowl star, sleeping with his foot in the water bowl, on the floor of the car.

It's not that he wasn't supposed to be there.  It's just that there was a very comfortable dog bed on the back seat above him, and a human willing to cuddle him in the front passenger seat, and yet he choose to sleep on the floor in the back.  While the car was in motion.  Perhaps my mom's driving scared him. 

Our next event is the Synchronized Snoozing event hosted by The Island Cats. 

Our first entry is submitted by three previous foster cats - I think it was Astro, GiGi and Blaze.  They awoke right before I took this photo - just in time to glare at me for disturbing their rest. 

The second entry is Pepsi and Ginger, two previous foster puppies who often performed synchronized snoozing in various locations around the house.

The following entries would more appropriately belong in an event called Synchronized Sitting.  Since as of now this is not an officially sanctioned event in the Cat-O-Lympics, and I'm too lazy busy to set it up myself, I'll just post these pictures as an idea for future organizers to consider. 

Cute puppies - who can resist?  And who can get them to all look at the camera at the same time... with no assistant... and without breaking their lineup?

I'll give you a clue how I did it...it involved a hot tub and a laundry basket.

Another example of Synchronized Sitting is exhibited by George and Taffy. 

And the final event we'd like to enter is the High Jump Event hosted by Cats in Maryland.  I'm about 5' 6", so I estimate here that Remi jumped to over 6 foot.  Of course, his back feet were only a few inches off the ground - but he did the best he could. 

Puppy Bowl VI - Behind the Scenes

My foster puppy Bear was a part of the Puppy Bowl VI which aired on Animal Planet on Sunday.  Filming took place last October, and he was adopted shortly after that into a wonderful new home.  I spoke with his new mom and she says that he is doing great, and that he enjoyed watching the Puppy Bowl, and seeing all of his new friends on TV.  Here are some pictures from the filming last October. 

Puppies get to visit and sniff each other in the green room prior to the game. 

Bear makes friends with a crew member while Tonka observes. 

Bear poses for his Starting Lineup photo:

Food was provided for all the puppies to give them plenty of energy for the big game:

Bear's friend Yums prepares to take the field.

Then it is Bear's turn in the spotlight.   

Bear on the field, looking for a familiar face:

Bear spots his friends Sunny and Nutmeg and heads straight for them!

After the game, the puppies are tired!

Congratulations to Bear for being part of the Puppy Bowl!

You can read about Bear's adventure in the Puppy Bowl from his point of view in the following posts:

Puppy Bowl trip - Part 1

Puppy Bowl trip - Part 2

Video clip of Bear

Administrative Stuff

First, I've changed the location of my blog to http://www.dogfostermom.com/.  This doesn't really matter to you, since you can keep going to the original location and it will redirect you automatically to the new location.  But it matters to me, because during the transition it somehow removed all of your opinion button results.  I love reading what you think of each post, whether in the comments or in the opinion buttons.  So I'm sad that the opinion buttons have all been reset to zero.  Would you mind going back through my blog and filling in the opinion buttons for my old posts?  There are only 340 posts - is that too much to ask?

Okay, fine.  I can live without validation.  Probably.  Let's move on. 

The second order of business is Mango Minster 2010.  I've made many new friends through Mango's dog show, and many more thanks to Amy and the House of Cats.  Most of these friends are cats and dogs with their very own blogs.  My dogs Remi and Noelle have to share this blog with all their foster siblings, and my cat Merlin never gets to post.  But Remi and Noelle did get to enter Mango Minster 2010, and in the next couple of days the voting will be conducted in each of their categories.  Remi is entered in the Hard Workers category (here's why), and Noelle is entered in the Bad Sports category (for these reasons).  Stop by Mango Minster and check out the show! 

Mango Minster has various officially sanctioned events, and Remi also entered Tucker's SitStay Competition.  Tucker is a Harlequin Great Dane just like Remi - that's Tucker in the picture, not Remi!  Tucker has to put up with cats at his house just like Remi.  He's also petitioning his parents to get him a pibble like Noelle (well maybe not JUST like Noelle).  I wonder if Remi is Tucker's role model?!  There are a lot of great entries in Tucker's competition, so make sure to visit when you have a few minutes!

And finally, the biggest news of all.  Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl VI is only a few days away, and my previous foster puppy Bear is the star player!  Okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration.  But he is in the starting lineup!   You can read how Bear ended up in the Puppy Bowl here.  The Puppy Bowl VI will air this Sunday, Feb 7th, at 3pm e/p on Animal Planet.  Next week I'll finally be able to share with you the pictures I took during filming - if I can find them!

Why I love fostering....

One of the best parts of being a pet foster parent is hearing back from the new owners after the pets are adopted, and learning how well they're doing.  It reminds me why I do this.  Thanks to some previous adopters for sharing your stories!

"I just wanted to check in and let you know how Cooper (Rowdy) is doing. He is doing wonderful, he loves to play with his brother Toby and they go non-stop, but when he crashes.....he crashes and there is no moving him. He loves our Select Comfort bed...he is a 50. He really adjusted well and never seemed scared or uneasy about being here, he loves the grass in the yard...but not on hot days, he likes it cool."

"We love this dog! He has immediately become the baby in our family. Thank you very much for helping make this happen. We have renamed him Sherman. He and our beagle, Sadie, get along fine. Also so you know he got a clean bill of health from our vet at North Main Animal Hospital. Lisa wanted me to attach some pictures for you so there should be an attachment. Thank you once again,"

"Here are some pics of Puffin. She has really settled in at our house. Just wanted you to see how well she is doing."

"I just wanted to send you a quick note and let you know that your Bear is doing so great! I apologize for not sending this until tonight. I have to say how impressed I am with his obedience. He did have a couple accidents the first night, which was expected, but we now know his signal - he goes to the door, sits down and just stares at it (really cute). He knows how to sit and lay. He enjoys sleeping under my bed when he has had enough play time and needs a nap. I was also astonished that he doesn't mind going into his crate at night and when I go to work. When we got our other dog 3 years ago, I recall him crying, crying, crying for about a week straight when we put him in his crate for bedtime. So I owe you a big THANK YOU for potty and crate training him so well."

I thought now is a very appropriate time for this reminder of why I love fostering, in light of some recent happenings at my house.  I'll share all about it soon. 

Bear was adopted!

What am I going to do without him?

Bear-Bear

I thought Bear would be ready for adoption weeks ago.  One thing came up, then another.  Today he went in to be neutered and he was supposed to go home to his new family on Saturday.  However the vet called and said Bear has a runny nose.  So they're going to hold off on neutering him one more week.  Poor guy seems to be stuck with me.  He's so smart - he's pretty much house-trained now, and he knows his name, and how to sit on command.  He loves to play with Lizzy and tries to play with the other dogs, but Lizzy is the only one who really plays with him. 

This picture is Bear hanging out in a tree during a rest stop on our way back from Maryland.  Why was he in a tree, you ask?  I'm not quite sure, actually.  Maybe Bear is having an identity crisis and thinks he's really a bear and therefore should occasionally climb a tree.  Or it could have had something to do with my mom picking him up and putting him there.  Either way, it made for a cute picture.

This is Bear in the car on the way back from our trip.  On the way there, he slept the entire time in his crate.  I guess on the way back he was tired of the crate, because he slept on the seat, on our pillows, and on the floor with his foot hanging in the water bowl.  Pretty much everywhere except his crate.

This is what Bear did when I tried to put him in the car after our first rest break following the taping of the Puppy Bowl.  I'm pretty sure he thought I was taking him back to that scary football field.

Puppy Bowl Trip - Part 2

The following post is written by my foster puppy Bear (really!) about his trip to the Puppy Bowl last weekend.

On Sunday morning we got to Discovery Studios where lots of people wanted to pet me.  My mommy had to fill out some forms and then we went and met a veterinarian.  She did some poking and prodding and took my temperature and then said I could play football!  I remembered how when we played football at home, mommy and Aunt Bernice gave me a little stuffed football with peanut butter on it, and I carried it all over the room.  It was a lot of fun.  So I was excited to play football again!

We went to this big room they called the green room, but mommy said it wasn't really green.  There were a lot of other puppies there!  My mommy took lots of pictures to show you, but the studio said she can't show you any of them until the show airs in February, so I will just have to tell you what I saw instead.  There were lots of puppy pens with puppies inside, and mommy let me go in and meet the other puppies who were also there to play football.  Some of the puppies were really nice, but a few of them were big and kind of scary.  I visited with them for awhile and then they called me to get a head shot.  That sounded a little scary, but all it meant was they took me someplace and set me on a table and took a bunch of pictures of me.  I was used to mommy taking my picture so it wasn't too bad.  Then they let me go back to mommy and we went back to the green room to wait.  Finally, it was my turn for football.  The set was very small so only puppies were allowed in - no foster mommies or daddies.  So they took me away from mommy and put me on this field with a bunch of other puppies and a bunch of toys.  It was very bright, with a lot of lights, and people I didn't know standing around, and other puppies running and playing.  There was no peanut butter in sight.  A guy in a white and black striped shirt picked me up and introduced me to the camera, and then put me right into the big field full of puppies!  I was a little bit scared, until I saw two of my friends that I had met in the green room earlier.  Sunny and Nutmeg were just my size, and they were very fluffy like me.  They had driven in from Georgia the night before, and then stayed up all night playing so they were sleepy.  And I think they were a little scared of the bigger puppies also, so they had curled up by the end zone under the goal post and took a nap!!  That looked like a safe place, so I decided to join them.  So I laid there and watched the other puppies play.  One time I got up and got a drink of water, but then I went back to where it was safe by my new friends.  I stayed there the whole time, until they finally decided to let me go back to mommy in the green room.  Then I felt much better. 

Mommy and I watched some TV screens in the green room and saw the other puppies playing football.  One of the puppies is named Tonka, and he looks a lot like me!  On the field there was a water bowl with a camera underneath, and one time they took out the water bowl to refill it, and a puppy fell into the hole!  Mommy thought that was very funny.  I was just glad it wasn't me.  I knew that football field was dangerous.  After awhile, they finished with the rest of the puppies and asked us to line up to go out onto the field one at a time for a starting lineup shot.  They put each puppy in a tunnel and wanted them to run across the field while they had spotlights shining on them for their introduction.  I watched a few other puppies do it, then it was my turn.  But when they put me in the tunnel I got really scared and refused to move.  Then they gave me a little push onto the field, and the lights were so bright so I just stood there while people called me and I didn't move.  After a few tries, they asked mommy to take me and try again later.  So we waited awhile, and then mommy took me back in.  This time they let her get on the field and call me, because she said then I wouldn't be scared and I would run right to her.  So they put me in the tunnel, and mommy called me from the other side of the field, and I was still scared so I looked at her and then I just sat down where I was.  Then one of the other people in the room said she wasn't really my mommy, and everyone laughed.  But I still wouldn't move because it was too scary!  Finally I walked over to her and they said that was good enough, so I was happy because I didn't have to go back on the field anymore.  And then they gave Mommy and Grandma each a t-shirt and we got to go home! 

So that was my Puppy Bowl trip.  It will be on TV in February, the day of the Super Bowl.  Mommy says she isn't sure if I will be on TV or not, but it will be fun to watch and see.  And once it gets here she can share some pictures with you from the event.

Video of Bear meeting his mirror image...

Puppy Bowl Trip - Part 1

Today and tomorrow we will have a special guest blogger - my foster puppy Bear!

Hi, this is Bear. We got back last night from the taping of the Puppy Bowl VI at Discovery Studios in Silver Spring, Maryland, and my mommy says I get to tell you all about our trip. Mommy and Grandma Sue and I left on Saturday morning at 6:00 AM. I was determined to make sure my mommy didn't oversleep so I started barking by 5:00 AM to make sure she woke up on time!! We left on time, and it was a 14 hour drive, but I slept almost the entire way to Maryland! Mommy was very proud of me - she said I was perfect in the car. I didn't need to stop very often, and I never whined or barked. I just hung out in my puppy crate and napped a lot.

Saturday night we got to our hotel and checked in. Discovery Studios had left a package for Mommy and Grandma, and they were excited to get some goodies from the studio, like mousepads and t-shirts. They didn't leave anything for me. We went for a walk and then went inside and I explored the hotel room. I had a lot of fun, until I discovered another puppy in the room with us!!

At first I just stopped and stared. Had the studio left some goodies for me and this dog ate them before I got there??? I looked suspiciously at this other dog... and then I walked toward him, and he walked toward me. I tried to sniff him, but something kept blocking me. I was very confused, so I pawed at him and he pawed back at me.

Then I did a play bow, and he did too, so I thought maybe we could be friends! But something like a glass wall kept blocking me from getting to him - it was very frustrating. Mommy kept taking pictures of me and laughing at me, and she called my grandma to come see the other puppy too. Then mommy said it was just a mirror and there was no other puppy, but I could see him there right in front of me! Pretty soon my grandma distracted me with a toy and I forgot all about the other puppy. We played a little bit and then I went to sleep. My mommy let me sleep in bed with her!! She said this was so I would be quiet and not disturb the other hotel guests. I wish we stayed in a hotel every night.

I woke up at 2:00 AM and mommy took me outside, and then we came back in and she wanted to go back to sleep but I was ready to play! So I played with my toys until mommy finally got up, and she said it was time for the Puppy Bowl!  Here is a picture of me practicing. 

I have to go now - Mommy said she has work to do now, but I can tell you the rest of the story tomorrow.

Snoopy, Skye and Sonic were adopted!

Three of my four foster puppies have been adopted this week.  Only Bear is left, and he now has an application pending on him, so once he's ready for adoption in a few weeks, he has a home waiting!  Puppies are so much easier to find homes for than adult dogs.  I understand they're usually cuter than adult dogs, and it's kind of nice to raise them from a puppy so they don't come in with bad habits.  But they also have no manners at all.  Now that his littermates are gone, Bear has woken me up at 6:00 AM every day this week to tell me that he's ready to start his day.  He has food - he has water - he has a place to potty.  The only thing he wants when I drag myself out of bed is to be petted and then to go play with the other dogs.  How inconsiderate!  He never did this when he still had siblings to play with.  All of my adult dogs are civilized enough to sleep until at least 7:00AM.  But Bear doesn't seem to be learning good manners from my other dogs.  Only the bad manners, like jumping up and counter surfing, seem to be noticed by him.  It's a good thing he's so darn cute. 

I leave this morning for Silver Spring, Maryland, to tape Bear participating in the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet.  The show won't air until February, but I'm hoping they'll let me take some pictures to share while I'm there.  My husband is going to stay home and take care of all the other dogs, and hopefully he'll still be speaking to me when I return. 

Puppy Update

We had a pretty good weekend at PetSmart for adoptions.  All Paws had six dogs there, and received applications on four of them - not bad!  Three of them were my puppies - Skye, Sonic and Snoopy.  Hopefully they will be going to their new homes later this week. 

Bear is gearing up for his trip to Maryland this weekend, for the taping of the Puppy Bowl.  There will be 60 puppies there, so he'll have a lot of competition.  But he's been sharpening his puppy playing skills and practicing carrying around a mini-football that a friend gave him, so he is ready to go!

Update on my fosters - Part 1

Yep, it's time for another Foster Pet update, where I get to list all of the foster pets at my house, and you get to think I'm crazy. But it also gives those of you who want to know about a specific pet a chance to find out how they're doing, so I hope you like these updates from time to time. If nothing else, you can read this post and then feel sorry for my husband. Just remember, HE's the one who made me get a dog three years ago. Up until then, I didn't want a dog, and had been avoiding it as long as possible. So if he hadn't insisted on getting a dog, which led me to discover how many homeless dogs and cats are killed every day, which led me to want to help them, this never would have happened.

Also, as a special bonus, I'm going to include updates on my own pets. Aren't you excited?

Remi - My Great Dane, and one of the largest dogs in the city... well, maybe in our subdivision anyway. He is getting old for a Dane - he turns four this month! He plays less and sleeps more, and he backs down from little poodle/daschund mixes when they bark at him. But my wimpy 160 pound dog is still tough enough to bark at every person and bicycle and truck that goes by our fence - as long as they are on the OTHER side of the fence.

Noelle - My deaf pit bull mix is spending a lot of time lately with my husband Dave as he works on our basement. Even though I am the one who feeds her, pets her, plays with her, and takes care of her every need, she is so his dog. Okay fine, he feeds her and pets her and plays with her also. But that's only because she follows him around everywhere. Maybe she's trying to make up for the fact that she ate his cowboy boots one day last week when he wasn't home.

Lizzy - I call her my child-eating border collie. I'm sure THAT will help her get adopted. She's settled into our house great - which is good, because I have a feeling we will have her for awhile. She loves to play with Noelle, and she listens very well and always just wants attention. It's only when strangers come in the house, or when she sees children that she goes nuts. Minor issue, right?

Skye, Sonic and Snoopy - My foster puppies went to the vet this week and got spayed/neutered. They can't get adopted yet though - even though I had already dewormed them once (remember this?), when they checked at the vet they found the puppies still have hookworms, whipworms, roundworms and coccidia. Somehow I wasn't surprised. So they're stuck with me for another week at least.

Bear - As I mentioned yesterday, Bear is going to be traveling to Maryland with me in a couple of weeks to take part in Puppy Bowl VI. Anyone interested in going with me? We'll only be driving 28 hours in three days with a small puppy in the car. It should be fun!

Chenille - It turns out my sweet, loving deaf Pomeranian is about 12 years old! The shelter originally said she was six years, and I thought she was a little older than that, but not twice that age. I guess it will hurt her chances of finding a home, but senior dogs find homes all the time so hopefully she'll still be adopted. She's so sweet - she's happy just to sit on my lap and be petted.

Dodger - This funny looking guy (sorry, but he is) is starting to settle in to the new routine. Both him and Chenille get canned food instead of dry food and all the other dogs get jealous! He has a very loud bark for such a little dog, and he's not afraid to use it. But he's also playful and friendly, and he does well with the other pets. Even Noelle is getting used to having him around. He's another dog that likes to sit on my lap while I type on the computer. Unfortunately my lap already has a waiting list with the cats and Chenille, so he has to take turns which he doesn't really like. Hopefully he can soon find another home where he will get all the attention he desires.

That's it for the dogs at my house. I'll post an update on the cats tomorrow, so maybe it won't look like I have quite so many. It's worth a try.

Puppy Bowl VI

The Puppy Bowl, aired each year on Animal Planet, is shown the afternoon of the Super Bowl and features puppies at play in a model football stadium.  If you've never seen it, it's a lot of fun to watch.  And next year, my foster puppy Bear may be one of the puppy football players!  We'll be traveling in a couple of weeks to Silver Spring, Maryland, for the taping of Puppy Bowl VI, which will be aired in February 2010.  And if Bear can manage to stay awake and active enough during the taping, he'll get to be on the show!  It's a long shot, because Bear is the most laid-back, quiet puppy I've had.  A few people who have met him have even asked if he is sick, because he is so non-active.  He's not sick, just lazy.  But I'm hoping after a day in the car, driving 14 hours to Maryland, he will have stored up enough energy to go out and play some puppy football!  Now does anyone know where I can get a tiny stuffed football to start teaching him how to score touchdowns? 

Introducing Chenille and Dodger

You're not going to believe this.  I hardly believe it myself.  I took the four puppies to the vet this morning, and they all got pre-adopted!  No, not really.  The hard-to-believe news is actually that they said they can't neuter Bear yet.  They want to give him a little more time to finish, uh... maturing.  So they want me to hold onto him for three weeks and then they will recheck him at that time!  If I would have just waited one more day to talk about him, I never would have had to admit my embarrassing plan to keep him off the website.  Of course I was only planning on holding him an extra week - not an extra three weeks.  But I'm not complaining.  He's cute enough he'll still be very adoptable in three weeks, and that will give me some extra time to find him the perfect home (i.e. one who will send me regular updates on him). 

It's always scary offering to take foster pets sight-unseen.  Sometimes I am surprised by how adorable and sweet they are.  Sometimes I am surprised by how funny-looking or difficult they are. This week, I've had one of each. 

First is Chenille.  Someone who knew I have a soft spot for deaf dogs told me about a group looking for help with a deaf Pomeranian.  Of course small dogs aren't my thing, but deaf dogs are, so I said I'd take her.  I was told she was a senior dog, deaf, not house-trained, expected to be difficult to place - all in all, I expected the worst.  But then, thanks to a string of volunteers from Kansas City to St. Louis, this dog showed up. 

And not only did she turn out to be beautiful (thanks to a volunteer in Kansas City who got her groomed before sending her my way!) but also so very sweet.  She is a bit shy, and hides in her crate sometimes, but she also loves to be held and carried around.  She does great with kids, other dogs, and cats.  It's true she needs some work on house-training, but she's not going to be hard to adopt like I thought she might.  She's at the vet today being spayed and readied for adoption, so I will get her on the website and try to find her a home soon!

Sometimes the opposite happens.  A dog that sounds like a very easy adoption on paper turns out to be not so easy. I could be wrong.  I hope I'm wrong.  But when I was told a poodle mix who is already house-trained and good with other pets needed a temporary foster home, I thought I could get him adopted before he had to go to another longer-term foster home.  A poodle mix - how hard is that?  But here's Dodger, who showed up at my house last night:

 

It's not his fault he looks like a Dauschund/Poodle cross with bare spots in his thin fur.  It's not his fault he's missing a lot of teeth and has to eat soft food, or that he has allergies.  It's not his fault that he's probably younger than Chenille, but looks a lot older.  I just hope that someone can see what a great dog he really is and decide to adopt him in spite of those things!