Tiggr Was Adopted!

I did not expect it to happen so quickly. But the perfect family came along at just the right time, and now Tiggr is happily living his new life with a retired couple. Of course there are no shortage of cats needing help, so I quickly filled up Tiggr's spot with a momma cat and two kittens. And then I went to a shelter and pulled three more cats from there. This is part of the reason I've been too busy to update my blog! I've also been too busy to take their pictures or name them, so I'll be officially introducing them shortly. In the meantime, here are some pictures from Saturday's adoption event. We had many dogs available, and two of them found homes. All dogs featured in this post are currently available for adoption.

Mixed breed puppy pulled from a high-kill shelter

Two year old beagle pulled from rural shelter

My foster dog Missy - came from city animal control

Mixed breed dog from an area shelter

Tucker - waiting for a home for several months now!

Chihuahua from puppy mill

Arnold - turned in when family moved to state with BSL

Kimmy - mixed breed dog from an area shelter

Another Chihuahua from puppy mill

Yet another chihuahua from a puppy mill

And still another chihuahua from puppy mill

Sparkle - transfer from another rescue

Ziggy, praying for a new home (or a snack).

I'm A Country Girl

I grew up in the suburbs.  I've moved around a lot, but always stayed within the suburbs of St. Louis or Atlanta.  Now that I've moved to a rural area, I recently realized something.  I LOVE living in the country.  I've always been the girl afraid of spiders and bugs and snakes and horses.  That hasn't changed, but the list is increasing.  Now I can add field mice and cows and guinea pigs to the list.  Okay, I'm not really afraid of guinea pigs.  I just wanted to distract you from the fact that I'm afraid of cows.  But in spite of all the scary creatures that live in the country, it feels like a place that I belong. 

I belong here.

I look out my windows and see nothing but fields and trees. Last night I saw an owl and although it was too dark and far away for a good picture, I took one anyway, because it was an OWL!

 There are logs for Ziggy to chew.

There's a small country church to visit.

And of course, there are the cows. Ziggy laid down to observe them while I tried to apologize (from a distance) for scaring them the other day. Then one of the cows proceeded to chase us down the road from the other side of his fence.
 

I've heard instructions on what to do when a bear chases you, or a mountain lion chases you. How come there are no instructions on what to do when a cow chases you? And what about when you're driving home from work and one of the cows is standing in the middle of the road? What then? Do you honk? Wait until he moves? Go notify the owner? Moving to the country should really come with an instruction manual. I have a lot to learn, but one thing I'm sure of. All the stress and challenge of buying this place was totally worth it. I am finally home.

Introducing Tiggr: Cat Extraordinaire

Tiggr, my newest foster cat, is not just another cat.  He's remarkable for two reasons.  First, Tiggr is extremely adaptable.  That says adaptable, not adoptable.  Tiggr is seven years old, so he might be stuck with me for awhile.  That's why it is so good that he is adaptable.  Most cats would make their displeasure known if they were taken from their home and brought to a strange house where they were expected to get along with strange dogs and strange people.  Not Tiggr - within 24 hours he was already sleeping in my bed, following me around, and making himself right at home.  He even let my niece carry him around without complaining.

And second, Tiggr is... well... there's no other way to say this. He's perfect. He never does anything wrong. I don't know what to do with such a perfect cat. I'm used to cats that meow loudly and demand things. Cats that try to escape out the door every chance they get. Cats that scratch up furniture and jump on countertops. It's been so long since I've had a perfect foster cat that I forgot what it was like. But don't worry - Merlin will be moving back in next week (I had to wait until my nieces and nephews could have his going away party) and once he's back, I'm sure Merlin will be glad to teach Tiggr all sorts of ways to misbehave. Tiggr will be acting like a normal cat in no time. So for now, I'll just have to deal with his impeccable manners, calm demeanor, and undemanding attitude.

Remi and Ziggy Meet the Neighbors

Yesterday evening I took Remi and Ziggy for a walk together. I felt this would be a good way to reintroduce them and let them get comfortable with each other again after their six weeks apart. We had a few strange looks from people as they drove by - I'm relatively sure they've never seen anyone actually walk their dogs on a leash on our dead-end gravel road. But I was glad they were on leashes when when we got to our neighbor's property, because otherwise, I'm quite sure that Ziggy would have been injured!

Ziggy and Remi walking down the street.

 Sadly, the neighbors do not like Ziggy.  They didn't exactly come right out and say so, but it was clear from the look in their eyes that they were not happy with him.  And although Ziggy was interested in the neighbors, he wasn't threatening toward them.  Remi, on the other hand, was acting very aggressive - barking and even lunging at them.  I think he felt safe because the neighbor's property is fenced, but there were a couple of times when Ziggy tried to go through the fence to get into the neighbor's yard.  All in all, I was a bit nervous about the entire situation.  The neighbors (I haven't yet learned their names) haven't done anything overtly aggressive, but from what little I could discern, they were clearly not happy that we were walking down the road.

Ziggy and Remi show a bit too much interest in the neighbors.



 Although I'm no expert on cows, I think this is definitely one unhappy neighbor.



Moo!

I'm thinking about baking some cookies to bring to them to help smooth over the situation. Do cows eat cookies? Maybe apples? Dog food? Someone help me out here - what can I do to make sure the cows forgive me for moving in next door with some very obnoxious dogs?

Ziggy's Rehab Worked - Or Did It?

Ziggy has now been back with me for over 36 hours.  In that time, he's been to an adoption event, been re-introduced to my dogs and met my newest foster dog Missy.  Everyone at the adoption event quickly saw that Ziggy came back a different dog.  He wasn't as mouthy or as pushy with others.  He still sometimes forgot his manners, but then with a quick reminder, he was back to behaving himself.  He was more relaxed and calm during the event.  Unfortunately, it appears that rehab did not work for Ziggy's biggest problem.  This is Ziggy before rehab:

And this picture was taken of Ziggy on a walk earlier today (after the completion of his six week rehab stay):

He may have changed brands, but it's obvious that Ziggy's rehab did not completely cure his alcohol problem.  That's okay though, because I'm not giving up on him.

The rehab facility where Ziggy stayed came very highly recommended, and although they obviously got results, I wasn't comfortable with continuing their style of training with Ziggy (similar to Cesar Milan's methods).  I have always thought that different dogs respond best to different training styles, but now I realize that different owners or foster parents also respond best to different training styles as well, and I am just not comfortable with the level of corrections that Ziggy requires to follow the training that he's been getting in rehab.  I can't deny it worked for him, but I needed to find something that would also work for me, since all attempts to pawn him off on other foster homes or rescues have continued to fail (although I'm not giving up!)  Ziggy's rehab trainers have graciously offered to take Ziggy if he gets worse and gets to the point where I feel he has no other options except to be euthanized, and I am very appreciative of that.  But I am hoping that I can modify my own behavior and continue to build on his progress while following a more positive approach to training.  

During the adoption event Saturday, one of the PetSmart trainers spent several hours with me and Ziggy, and it was encouraging to see how he responded to her and to learn a few tips that I could use to control his behavior during future adoption events.  You will see in many of his pictures taken when he is on leash, that he is wearing a Halti.  This is not a muzzle, it's a head collar and it allows Ziggy to open his mouth fully, bark, eat, whatever, unless the leash tightens up, in which case the Halti tightens and forces his mouth closed.  This means I have more control over his nipping and am able to refocus him easily when needed.  I have used a Gentle Leader before with Remi, and the Halti is very similar.  So far it is working very well with Ziggy.

I also am going to be working with another trainer in my area who uses all positive training methods.  She spent a few hours with me and Ziggy and taught me some tips for teaching him that I am the one in charge, not him.  I still have a lot to learn, but Ziggy and I will start weekly classes with her soon so I can build on what I've learned so far.

All in all, I think his rehab was a very good thing, and I am very grateful for everyone who made it possible.  Now if I can just find someone who can help me with this:

April Featured Blogs

Here are the featured blogs for April!

Pitter Patter - One of my favorite humor blogs - this blog takes pictures of pit bulls submitted by readers, and adds funny captions.  It shows how wonderful and silly this breed really is.  And occasionally, they feature a picture of Ziggy, like this one:

Pei Days - This blog is written by Lola, a Chinese Shar Pei.  She is a wonderful rescue dog with a very busy life.  She keeps track of her big family, and especially of her brother Franklin.  A fun blog written by a most wonderful doggie (with some help from her Blog Mom).

Lucky Dog Rescue Blog - A blog written by Ashley, an animal rescuer in Mississippi.  In addition to running a rescue, she's involved in several other pet rescue groups, and writes a guest column for her local paper.  I like Ashley's blog because not only is it well written, but it gives a very honest look at rescue and what it really means to save a life.

Evolution of Darwin - This blog was another result of my search for Great Dane blogs.  Darwin is a most beautiful blue Great Dane and she gets to go to doggie day care and do all sorts of fun things that Remi only dreams about.  This is probably why this is Remi's favorite blog!

Mango & Dexter's Great Adventures - I think everyone knows Mango, but just in case you don't, definitely check out his blog.  Mango is a doggie of incredible size.  He shares his blog with his little brother Dexter, and they are always entertaining and fun to visit!

Introducing Missy: Small But Mighty

Missy is a ten month old Schipperke/Chihuahua mix that was an owner turn-in at a local shelter. The All Paws volunteer who pulled her took her home to foster and got her all ready to be adopted. But there was a problem. Missy may only weigh eight pounds, but in her mind, she's a Big Dog. And she didn't do well with the other small dog that was in her foster home. Because after all, as the Big Dog in the house, she was sure she would be in charge, and when the small dog didn't agree, there were issues. So it was suggested that perhaps she would be better off in a different foster home, where she could no longer beat up on tiny toy poodles. This is how I came to foster Missy.


It's pretty obvious around here that although Remi weighs over twenty times more than Missy, he is not in charge. Although to be fair, Missy is also not in charge. In our house, we have a hierarchial relationship that looks like this:

I think it's obvious from reading this chart that I am very good at wasting time that could be spent on more important things like fixing up the house. It's also obvious that I need to spend more time learning the definition of a hierarchial relationship.  But the point is that the size of the dog or cat does not matter in the least. Tigger is my newest foster cat, and he is in charge of Missy. Granted, Tigger is larger than Missy. But Missy is in charge of Remi, and she is definitely not larger than Remi.

Never mind that one swipe of his giant paw could flatten her.

Missy is fast - she can run circles around Remi!

One thing that both Missy and Remi have in common, is they both think that no matter their size, they are cuddly lap dogs. Whether you want to cuddle or not - if you sit on a couch in my house, you must be prepared for this:

My dad, wishing the dogs understood the concept of personal space.

Missy is turning out to be a perfect foster dog, and surprisingly, a great playmate for Noelle (when she visits) and Remi (when he manages to wake up from a nap).  She will probably be adopted quickly but I'm enjoying every minute I have with her.

Wordless Wednesday



Angel, an All Paws Rescue cat looking for a home



Ziggy and Me: The Reunion

I have been Ziggy's foster mom for over a year. Since he was four months old, he's been part of my life. I have fed him, provided shelter, given him soft clean blankets to sleep on and chew toys to destroy. In return he's provided me with hours of entertainment and fodder for my blog. We've gone on weekly outings to PetSmart. We've gone hiking, and to the dog park, and to friends houses. We've bonded over training sessions and walks around the neighborhood. Other than a few short weeks he spent in boarding when I went on vacation, Ziggy and I have been together almost his entire life. So when he left for boot camp, I knew it would be a big adjustment for both of us. He was gone for five weeks before I was able to set up a visit with him. I envisioned the reunion that we would have when we met again. He would run up to me with his tail wagging and his eyes filled with joy, and I would throw my arms around him and apologize for sending him away. He'd lick away the tears on my face, and we'd both vow to never be separated again.

Then I got to PetSmart, our meeting place for the visit. Ziggy came in with his trainer, and I stood there and waited for Ziggy to recognize me. And I waited. And waited some more. It was busy at PetSmart and there was a lot to take in, so I knew it would take some time. Finally I went over to him and held out my hand. He sniffed it, and then it happened! There was a glimmer of recognition in his eyes. He licked my hand, and I reached down to pet him. He sniffed my pocket, and realized I didn't have my usual supply of dog treats. Then, as I bent down to throw my arms around him and let the happy reunion begin, he turned and walked over to the next person to see if maybe THEY had a ready supply of dog treats in their pocket. I sighed, and acknowledged that Ziggy was just being Ziggy. He wasn't holding a grudge, or deliberately ignoring me. He just was so busy living his life, that he didn't really miss me at all. So I did the only thing I could. I borrowed some dog treats and called Ziggy to me. Once he saw the treats, he was all mine. We went through our repertoire of tricks, and he remembered every one of them. There were no tears, no licks, no joyful reunion hugs. But as we finished the tricks and I watched his trainer lead him away, he gave me one quick backward glance. And I imagined, for that one split second before Ziggy once again focused on living in the moment, that perhaps he wished to stay with me. Then he went trotting off to his next adventure, waiting around the next corner, and I was happy that he was happy. And that I still had one more week to enjoy the peace and quiet before he came home.

Ziggy returns next weekend, and we'll see then exactly what effect boot camp had on him. Somehow, in spite of his intensive six week training course, I don't think there will be any lack of Ziggy stories to share in the future.

Why My Pets Hate Me

It's a good thing dogs don't hold grudges. If they did, I'd be in big trouble. Last night was my first night at the new house. I took Remi with me, but my husband Dave won the coin toss for Noelle and she is staying with him at the old house. Okay, we didn't really toss a coin. We had a grown-up rational discussion, where nothing was decided, until I finally acknowledged it was his turn to win a fight so I gave in. She's always been his dog, since the moment they met. I still get visiting rights, but the only thing Noelle knows is that I've abandoned her. Fortunately, she's a pit bull - one of the most loyal breeds there is - and when I come visit her this evening, she's not going to hold a grudge. She'll instantly forgive me and shower me with kisses. Of course that'll make me feel even more awful when I leave her behind again.

But then I get to go home to Remi, who doesn't have a reason to be angry with me. Oh other than the fact that I took him away from his home and brought him to this strange house that he hates. Dave installed all new laminate flooring throughout the house, and it's very slick. Have you ever seen a giraffe trying to walk on ice? If you can imagine that, you can imagine Remi trying to walk on laminate floors. It's not a pretty sight. But Remi doesn't hold grudges, so it's safe for me to return home. I think. Even if he is angry, it's pretty easy to outrun him inside the house.

Tomorrow I get to go to an adoption event and the boot camp instructor dog rehabilitator is going to bring Ziggy by to see us. I am so excited and nervous. Because if any dog were ever to hold a grudge, I'd imagine it would be Ziggy. When I see him, I want to just bend down to his level and wave at him and say Hi Ziggy!! and then throw my arms around him and give him a big hug. Which of course is exactly the wrong thing to do. I didn't say I'll do it. But I really want to. Hopefully Ziggy is not holding a grudge for me sending him to boot camp. If he behaves himself I may even be able to take him home soon!

And then there's Merlin. Merlin has been living a life of contentment and luxury at my parents' house for several months. But I miss him, and my parents are not begging me to keep him, so I'm going to be bringing him to the new house in the next few days. And one thing that is different about cats and dogs - I think cats do hold a grudge. So Merlin may never speak to me again, after I bring him to the new house. At least the dogs won't be able to chase him very easily on the new flooring. With enough canned food and cat treats, I might even be able to convince him that life with me isn't so bad after all.

Have you ever done anything so awful that your pet held a grudge? Tell me your worst stories, and help me stop feeling so guilty for making all of my pets miserable!

Merlin Lives Dangerously

When I was forced to temporarily relocate my cat Merlin, I thought long and hard about where he could go.  I knew he may have to be gone for a few months, and I wanted him to be happy, wherever he was.  So in the end, I thought the best place for him was my parents' house.  They have experience with cats, my mom is home all day so Merlin would get a lot of attention, and most importantly, I knew if I asked, even though they didn't really want a cat, they would say yes.  We thought at the time it would only be for a couple of months.  But Merlin has been there for well over six months now.  I could understand them wanting him gone, but I thought they'd just ask me to come get him, not take other, drastic measures.

My sweet, innocent Merlin is an indoor cat.  I don't ever let him go outside since there are too many dangers of cars, loose dogs, and other risks.  I knew my parents felt the same way - and even if they didn't, I knew they would keep him indoors since that is what he is used to and that is what I believe is best for him.  At least that's what I thought, until I received these pictures:

Not only was Merlin outdoors, but they had put him in a tree!  Just to take a picture and threaten to make him stay in the tree if I didn't come get him.  Poor, poor Merlin.

He looks so small and helpless.

Doesn't he look terrified?  How could anyone be so cruel... so heartless.... so.... oh, wait.  That's not exactly how it happened.

Okay, fine, the truth is Merlin is not sweet and innocent.  He is sneaky and quite brilliant. He learned how to slide open the screen door to make his escape to the Great Outdoors when no one was watching.  Then, because he's a cat, he decided the best thing in the world would be to go after those birds in the tree.  So he climbed the tree.  And since she's my mom and she knows how much I'd want pictures, my mom went and got her camera and took some photos before trying to lure Merlin down with his favorite canned food.  Which worked... eventually.

Notice how in spite of the canned food my mom is holding in front of his face, Merlin is focusing only on the birds still tormenting him from the safety of the treetops.

 Thanks Mom, for all you've done to keep Merlin safe.  Thanks for not taking any drastic measures to get rid of him, and for saying he can stay as long as needed.   I'm sorry I implied otherwise - it just made for a better story.   I'll come over and help you cat-proof your screen door tomorrow.

Wags and Wrigley and Zoe were adopted!

It's been a crazy couple of weeks as I've been trying to get the new house ready to move into. I'm hoping to move in within the next week or two, and then I'll be able to start fostering again, and blogging more often. Fortunately all of my fosters have been adopted, except for Ziggy who is still away at rehab. He's doing well and will hopefully be released soon! Here are some of the recent adoptions we've had:

Zoe
My previous pit bull mix puppy foster was adopted over a week ago, and so far, so good.

That basically means I haven't received a phone call from the adopter wanting to return her - yet.  Whew.

Her littermate Venture (a.k.a. Scary Puppy) has now been renamed Mia and is in another foster home, where she is doing great and being spoiled!  Here is Mia attending a parade with her foster family:

Guess she's not so scary when she's all dressed up!

My friend Bev, the craziest most wonderful foster person I know, took in eight Chesapeake Bay/Labrador Retriever mix puppies recently, and they were ready for adoption this past weekend, at the same time as Wags and Wrigley.  She knew I couldn't make it to adoptions last weekend because I was working on the house, so she kept Wags and Wrigley, along with her eight foster puppies, all weekend and took them to three adoption events!  That's right - she gave up her ENTIRE weekend - Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday, to hold adoption events at a local PetSmart to try to find the puppies homes.  And it paid off, because by the end of the day on Sunday, all ten puppies had been adopted, along with one adult foster dog. It was incredible.  Did I mention she's crazy wonderful?  In addition to the three day adoption event, she also attended/worked at a fundraiser for All Paws on Saturday night, and temporarily kept another six puppies and one adult all weekend for another foster mom who had to go out of town.  I am in awe of her, and can't quite understand how she stays sane, but I am glad she does!  Thanks to her, a lot of puppies are now happily living in new homes, including Wags and Wrigley.

Wags, being held by a volunteer at an adoption event on Friday night.

One of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever/Lab mix puppies

Another Chessie/Lab puppy - 8 weeks old.

The puppies were worn out after 3 adoption events in a row!

In Need of Rescue

Every day I receive many e-mails with requests for dogs or cats needing help.  These requests go out to rescuers in the immediate area of the animal, and sometimes all over the country, asking for anyone who can help.  Sometimes a rescue group will be able to assist with one of the requests.  Other times, no help can be found and the dog or cat is killed.  I get very frustrated with the people who say that this country does not have a pet overpopulation problem. It is worse in certain areas than others, but for the United States overall, it is still a very real issue.  I would love to see us become a no-kill nation that can provide good homes for every dog and cat that is born, but right now we aren't there yet.  

Tonight I received a request to help this dog. 

He was found on a highway median, feeding on a deer carcass.  The person who found him knew he was in danger when he started dragging a deer leg across the highway in front of oncoming traffic.  She was able to catch him and take him to an area shelter.  This is what he had wrapped around his neck: 

He had no tags, and no microchip, so no way to identify his owner.  He was tested for heartworms and tested positive.  Heartworms are transmitted to dogs by a mosquito bite, and if not caught and treated, can cause congestive heart failure.  They are prevalent in this area of the country but can easily be prevented by a monthly heartworm preventative chewable tablet that can be purchased from a veterinarian.  It appears whomever owned this dog did not have him on preventative, and now he will require an expensive and somewhat dangerous treatment to remove the heartworms.  The shelter where he was taken advised the rescuer who brought him in that because he tested positive, he would be euthanized.  So the rescuer has sent out an e-mail to every rescuer she knows, and asked them to send it out to every rescuer they know.  It will end up on various yahoo groups e-mail lists and Facebook and other social media sites - all to try to find someone to save this dog.

I don't know if he'll be saved or not.  I'll try to find out and let you know, but the sad truth is that there are many more dogs like him out there.  I receive multiple requests like this one every single day, for dogs with medical issues, dogs with disabilities, dogs that are perfectly healthy and their owners just don't want them anymore, all out of time and options.  There are not enough foster homes, not enough money, and not enough adopters to save them all - not yet.  But we're working on it, one dog (and cat) at a time!  So to all rescuers out there, and all volunteers, adopters, and donors, please, keep up the good work!

Remi is a Guard Dog

Remi is my Great Dane. He lives for guarding. Even when given a comfy bed on the deck in order to nap, Remi feels it his his job to guard. Unfortunately in our subdivision there are a lot of things that Remi finds threatening and needs to warn off. Things like mothers pushing their babies in strollers down the sidewalk. And things like delivery trucks driving down the road. And things that I don't even notice and can't identify, but that must be threatening because Remi gives his best threatening bark.


 

He has one bark he uses when he perceives a threat, and a different bark he uses when he is hungry or wants to go outside, and a different bark he uses when he is playing. But the bark he likes the most is his threatening bark. Great Danes were at one time bred to be guard dogs, and Remi seems to have all of those guard dog traits. He has even been known to ignore bones tossed to him when he is in guard mode. This is bad because I can never have a petsitter come to the house since Remi won't let anyone in the house - even people he knows - unless Dave or I give our permission. But this is good because I'm going to be moving out to the country by myself, and Remi makes me feel completely safe. Well, Remi and my Colt .380 handgun. But mostly Remi, because he is a lot more effective at scaring away bad guys. He is the best guard dog I've ever had. Okay, fine, he's the only guard dog I've ever had. Other dogs are good at keeping intruders away because they look or sound scary, but they wouldn't really guard a home or a person. I have no interest in training a dog to be a guard dog, so the fact that Remi is a natural guard dog, with no training required, is going to come in handy when I'm living in the middle of nowhere with no close neighbors!

Do your dogs make you feel safe? Would they guard your house if you weren't home? Would they be distracted from guarding by a bone or a piece of steak? Would they welcome all intruders to your home with a big lick and a friendly wagging tail? Or would they run and hide under the bed?

Ziggy's Prayer

Before Ziggy went to boot camp, he used to come up to me every day and ask to pray.  He would put his paws up on my leg and look at me like this: 

"Mom, it's prayer time!"

And then I would say, "Again Ziggy?  Really?"  And he would keep looking at me until I relented.  So finally I would say "okay Ziggy, let's pray".  I'd clasp my hands together, and bow my head, and he would do this:

"Dear God, please bring me noms."

And Ziggy would pray for food, while I prayed for him to get adopted.  Somehow he ended up with a treat after each of these prayers...  which probably explains why he became the most religious dog I have ever met.  

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.

Featured Blogs for March

So here it is, March 1st, and once again it's time to select this month's featured blogs.  These are some of my favorite blogs to visit, and they have been chosen as a Featured Blog for the following reasons:

Kol's Notes:  Kolchak Puggle is funny.  He's very funny.  He's one of the very few doggies that can make me laugh even when I'm having a really bad day.  He's also smart - he taught himself how to turn on the fireplace!  He had good motivation because he doesn't like the cold.  And he lives in Canada.  Thanks for always making me smile, Kolchak Puggle!

At A Glacial Pace: This blog is written by Jess, the blind owner of a seeing-eye dog named Glacier.  I love reading this blog because it is really interesting to see how the dogs that are trained as guide dogs end up living their lives.  Jess also has a husband with a guide dog and two pet dogs - a full house!  It is amazing to read about all that Jess has accomplished, and the large role that dogs play in her life.  

Tucker Tells All: This blog is written by a Powderpuff Chinese Crested!  Tucker is a rescue dog who has passed his CGC and is very smart and well behaved.  He has a great mom and he even lets her post sometimes.  His mom is doing a special series of posts called "50 Shelters in 50 States".  It's a great idea and something I hope to participate in eventually.

Rescued Insanity: This is a blog written by Shiva's mom.  She writes about her life with Shiva, an energetic, challenging, wonderful rescue dog.  I love the honesty and thoughtfulness that she shares on a variety of topics.  I love her training videos, and her obvious devotion that she has to Shiva.  I wish all of my fosters pets were adopted by owners even half as wonderful as Shiva has.

The Life and Times of Remington:  Remington is a Newfoundland, and I believe he is the biggest football fan I know. He is also the best dog at posing for photographs, and has the best sign-offs on his posts that i've ever seen!  Remington is also the Judge of Blogville, so if you need any judging, you know who to contact.