Update (Not Foster Related)

Sorry I haven't been around in so long. The financing fell through on the house I was hoping to buy, so I've been spending every spare moment looking for a new place to live. Here are some things I've learned in the past month:

- Mobile homes are not like regular homes. They are more difficult to get financing on, among other things.
- Private lenders will not give a conventional loan on a mobile home that is not on a foundation.
- Homes that have been foreclosed on and are owned by a bank will only accept conventional loans or cash.
- Having excellent credit does not matter, if a house has a problem with mold, or structural issues.

The first home I hoped to buy was a manufactured home not on a foundation, and a foreclosure, so I couldn't get financing. The second home I hoped to buy turned out to have a major problem with mold, so I couldn't get financing. The third home I hoped to buy turned out to have structural issues. And the fourth home also had mold and a few other issues, so I found out this afternoon, that once again, no financing will be available. I'm very fortunate to have both a wonderful realtor and mortgage broker that are helping me with my search.  They are definitely earning their money with all the work I'm putting them through in finding just the right place.  I don't care how big it is or how new it is, I just want it to be a place I can have foster dogs without bothering anyone. 

So far I have viewed listings on 496 homes through an online listing service. Basically I've looked at information on every home that is within one hour of my work and is being sold at a price I can afford. I've ruled out most of those homes because they're in cities or subdivisions with pet restrictions. I've driven by the rest of them, and ruled out another 25 or 30 because they were in very bad areas, or in homes that wouldn't work for fostering (no yard, etc). That has left me with very few choices. I did come across one home that is my dream house, but wouldn't work for fostering. I seriously considered giving up fostering and moving in with just me and Merlin. Okay not really. But I wanted to consider it - especially when I got home and found the dogs had entertained themselves while I was gone by eating my new (used) couch. A tiny cabin in the woods with just me and my cat didn't sound so bad right about then.

It has been an adventure, shopping for houses. I've seen a lot of wildlife. I've picked up a stray dog. I've driven through rainstorms and across flooded roads. I've walked through woods and fields, and acquired over 200 bug bites in one night. I missed an entire weekend, including a big adoption event, due to a much-needed overdose of Benadryl to survive the bug bites. I now carry bug spray in my car, along with a flashlight, for my evening house hunting trips. I have driven most of the major roads in Lincoln County and am starting to learn my way around Warren County as well (I live in St. Charles County).

I am having a rough month, and with five dogs at home, I dread every time the doorbell rings that it is the Animal Control unit coming back because the neighbors have complained again. I check the house listings constantly, just waiting for that next house to come on the market and hoping it will be the perfect fit. I'm going back out again tonight to drive around and look at a few more possibilities. So please don't give up on me - I miss you guys and will write more about my fostering adventures as soon as life improves a bit! 

Bananas - Ziggy likes 'em.

And in case you are wondering, he prefers to peel it with his teeth, eat the inside, then eat the peel.  I wonder if this also qualifies as recycling?

Outnumbered

Noelle and I are outnumbered. We're just two girls, having to live with seven boys. It's tough, I tell you. Here's a quick summary of who we have to put up with:

Dave - Male - Adult Human - Entertains himself with violent video games, violent movies, and cleaning his multiple guns after target practice. He claims he's trying to keep his "Expert" status as a sniper in the Army. I think he just has too much testosterone.

Remi - Male - Adult Great Dane - Barks at everyone and everything. Claims he is doing his duty as a watchdog and protecting the females of the house. I think he just has too much testosterone.

Ziggy - Male - Juvenile Dog - Enjoys wrestling matches, chewing on everything in sight, and creating large messes for the females in the house to clean up. Claims he's just a guy trying to have a good time. I think he just has too much testosterone.

Bosco - Male - Juvenile Dog - Enjoys wrestling matches, and humping other dogs. Claims he's got too much testosterone. Even though he's been neutered, I agree.

Tripoli - Male - Adult Shepherd Mix - Enjoys shedding. Okay, maybe he doesn't enjoy it, but he does a lot of it. Perhaps its caused by too much testosterone.

Rudy - Male - Adult Cat - Constantly complains of feeling trapped. Wants freedom to go outside and flirt with the female cats. Definitely caused by too much testosterone.

Merlin - Male - Juvenile Cat - Eats everything in sight, much like a teenage boy. Never seems to be full. Claims he needs more canned cat food. I think he is lying.









And okay, all of these cats and dogs have been neutered, but still. They're boys, they act like boys, and Noelle and I are outnumbered. I have a right to complain about it. Especially since I have another male cat coming back tomorrow. Where are all the girl dogs and cats? How did I end up with all male fosters?

I think tonight Noelle and I are going to have to have a Girl's Night Out. We'll put on makeup, and watch a movie where nothing blows up, and put up a big sign that says "No Boys Allowed!!"

Nap Time

Sunday afternoon naps are the best.

That's Ziggy sleeping at the end of the couch with his head hanging off the side. 
Since Ziggy and I were taking up the whole couch, Bosco decided to sleep on top of me.

Then Merlin decided he needed some attention also.

At that point the couch exceeded its total allowed weight limit, and collapsed. 

No not really.  Actually I thanked the photographer for documenting this exciting portion of my life, and then we all went back to sleep. 

I love Sunday afternoon nap time.  I think I'm going to make it a weekly event. 

Sampson and Simon

If I had a baby picture of Sampson and Simon, I bet they would have looked something like this.

I've been fostering them for seven months. Simon, the blind cat, and his seeing-eye-cat brother Sampson. I first brought them home and due to Simon's vision problems, I confined them to my bathroom. They immediately made themselves at home...in the bathroom sink.

As they became used to the other animals and the new living situation, they began exploring the house. Simon played up his vision problems all he could.

Simon: Is that you, Sampson? Hellloooo???

Rudy: Go away - you know perfectly well I'm not Sampson.

Simon: ...did you see all this stuff on the floor? I almost tripped over it!

And Sampson seemed to take his responsibilities to his brother very seriously.

Sampson: Just doing my duty as a Seeing-Eye Cat, and cleaning up around here.

They did a good job pretending that Simon couldn't see much... until they realized they were going to be able to stay with me until they were adopted. Then all of a sudden, Simon's eyes seemed to magically get better. Not only could he see to get around the house without his brother, he could even see well enough in places he had never been, like a vet's office, or a friend's house, to be able to jump on and off tables without a problem. He and Sampson stopped spending any time together, and Sampson gave up his Seeing Eye Cat duties altogether. That's when I realized it had all been a scam to make me feel sorry for them so I would take them home. Because if you haven't noticed by now, the disabled ones always get to me. That's why I currently have a deaf foster dog, a three-legged foster dog, and a supposedly blind (but possibly just brilliant and conniving) cat. At least I did until yesterday. Because yesterday Simon and Sampson went home on a trial adoption! I just wonder if they're pulling their same "He's blind and I'm his seeing-eye cat" scam there.

Sampson: Don't forget to stumble when you jump down, like you couldn't see the ground.

Simon: Don't worry, I've got it...

Saturday Adoption Event

Just a few of the pets that were at Saturday's adoption event.

This little guy is Jack.  He has been adopted!

This is Tyson.  In spite of being a big black dog, this guy was also adopted!

I think her name is Isabelle.  She is still waiting for a home. 

This is Leo.  He's also still available for adoption.

This is my foster kitten. 

Her name used to be Mira. 

Then it turned out she was a boy, so he was renamed Lucas.

I hope he doesn't have an identity crisis now.
The pink bed probably doesn't help.

Wrestling Match: Bosco vs. Ziggy

Remember Buddy? He was the puppy that kept getting bounced around to different foster and adoptive homes. And now he's back with me - family number four out of five so far. He's seven months old, and his last family had changed his name to Bosco, so since he now answers to that I've decided not to change it. Bosco came back because his family was having trouble getting him housetrained (to make a long story short). It's more complicated than that, but that's the gist of it. So he'll be closely supervised while I see if I can figure out what the problem is, and in the meantime, he's having a blast playing with Ziggy. He gets along great with all the dogs, but he and Ziggy are so much alike in size and play style, that they spend hours doing this:

6:32pm - Bosco initiates the play wrestling match, and Ziggy quickly accepts.

6:33pm - Ziggy bites Bosco's leg, while Bosco goes for Ziggy's neck

6:38pm - Ziggy bites Bosco's neck, while Bosco aims for Ziggy's ear

6:44pm - Ziggy calls for a time out.

6:44pm - Bosco declines the time out.

6:45pm - Ziggy takes down Bosco, then takes a time out anyway.

 6:46pm - "Time In!"

6:49pm - Ziggy goes for the neck, and finds Bosco's ticklish spot.

7:04pm - The wrestling match has moved from the concrete to the overgrown grass.

7:16pm - Ziggy holds down Bosco... "1....2....3..."

7:16pm - But Bosco breaks out of the hold while Ziggy pauses to chew on a tail.

7:34pm - Nothing outlasts the Energizer Bosco and Ziggy

7:51pm - Brief 30 second rest...

7:51pm - And they're back at it.

7:59pm - No official winner is declared, but the match is postponed in favor of a very late dinner.

Here's a short video I took of the wrestling match, just before they slammed into me and knocked me over - for the 8th time that night. Then I gave up and went and hid inside the rest of the night.

Welcome Back, Bosco!  We missed you! 

Ziggy has allergies...

If you don't know much about what is in the food you're feeding your dog, here is a great resource:  Dog Food Advisor. I had fun looking at the various brands of food that I am familiar with and seeing how many stars they received. I've developed a recent interest in dog food ingredients, thanks to Ziggy. He has been having ear infections, which can be a result of allergies, so we recently had him allergy tested for food. We got the results back last week. It turns out he is allergic to peanut butter. In fact, he's allergic to peanuts in general. He's also allergic to beets. And corn. Sweet potatoes. Barley. And rice. Oh, and did I mention beef, chicken, and fish? Yep, allergic to all of that too. At this point you may be asking yourself, well what ISN'T he allergic to?! That list is a bit shorter. He has no allergies to carrots, cow's milk, oats, potatoes, wheat, or venison. So here is Ziggy's new meal plan:

A potato?!?

Mom, are you serious?

Okay, I'll give it a try.

Although I do prefer to eat inside...

on the comfort of my futon.

Hey this potato is pretty good!

Fortunately Ziggy seems to enjoy raw potatoes. On days when I'm feeling especially generous, I may throw in a few carrots for variety. But he's out of luck on the venison - he's going to have to catch his own deer!


Alright, I'm not serious about feeding him only raw potatoes. I know dogs need protein. And in addition to venison, there were a few sources of protein such as lamb, pork and turkey that were borderline on the food sensitivity test. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of dry dog food products out there, other than a few very expensive brands, that don't contain either corn, rice, or barley. Really, go check your dog food. If it doesn't have any of the prohibited items, and it's not incredibly expensive, please let me know! Because we looked at EVERY brand at PetSmart except the prescription brands and they all had at least one prohibited ingredient. The rescue group where I volunteer went to a specialty pet store and found a food called Natural Balance Limited Ingredients that has basically two ingredients - duck and potatoes. Duck wasn't on the list of tested foods, so I am hoping he is not allergic to that. And since potatoes are safe, this appears to be a good, if expensive, option for Ziggy. And if it turns out he is allergic to duck also, we'll either have to try another more expensive brand, or I figure we can always resort to the old standby... raw potatoes and birdseed. (just kidding!)

By the way, I know there are some excellent raw diets or canned food options out there that would also work for Ziggy, but again, cost is always a factor. I am very fortunate to volunteer for a wonderful rescue group that pays for food for the fosters, but they need the limited donations they receive to pay for vet bills, and buying a very expensive food for Ziggy will take away from them being able to help as many other pets. And since I'm sort of out of funds to donate due to buying the new house, and since I don't cook, Ziggy has limited options. Although he did offer to help...

Hey mom, just open the gate, and I'll go get me a deer!

Hahahaha...just kidding!

Reese on Pitter Patter

Reese, one of my all-time favorite foster dogs, was on the Pitter Patter blog on Monday. 

This sweet dog was rescued just in time from a high-kill shelter.  She had been there long past her allotted time, and when I saw her, I almost cried.  She was covered in feces, huddled in the back of a tiny cage, and had given up hope of being rescued.  She was only five months old and already her life was ending.  I took her home, and immediately fell in love. 

Reese at the shelter

Reese has all of the pit bull qualities that I love.  She is loving, loyal, and totally devoted to her people.  She never bothered to sit on the floor, if there was a lap anywhere around that she could sit in instead.  And if there wasn't a lap nearby, she'd make do with using Remi for a cushion.  Like Noelle, Ziggy, and many other pit bulls, Reese also has a quality about her that makes her so very entertaining to have around. 

Remi, Reese and Skittles

I pulled Reese from the shelter exactly two years ago today.  Three months later, she was adopted.  I checked in with her adoptive family several months ago, and they reported she is doing great, and they sent me this picture of her with her brother Bruiser. 

Reese, two years later

She's come a long way from that dirty, scared puppy I rescued so long ago.  She gives me hope for Ziggy, who hasn't received an adoption application in the past six months. 

I can't keep Ziggy - it means the next Reese, or the next Noelle, or the next Ziggy, wouldn't have a chance.  I turned down taking in a cute little 5-month-old white pittie puppy earlier this week.  The puppy had spots around both eyes, just like Ziggy has a spot around just one eye.  I hated saying no, because the other pit bull and all-breed rescue groups in the area had already said no, and he will have to be taken to a shelter that euthanizes for space, where his future is uncertain.  But until Ziggy is adopted, I do have to say no.  So that is why as much as I wish I could keep Ziggy, since I've already adopted one deaf pit bull (Noelle), I just can't keep another.  And that is why one of you is just going to have to step up to the plate and adopt Ziggy.  In spite of his breed, and his chewing disability (can I call the fact that he chews on everything a disability?), and his deafness, and his food allergies.  Oh, did I not mention the food allergies?  Okay then, nevermind.  We'll talk about those tomorrow.

Update From Noelle

Mom is still busy getting ready to move - she said she found a house for us! - so today she is letting me post, and I am going to answer your questions that you asked from the last time I posted.


Mayziegal said...
Noelle, I had no idea you liked to stand on the coffee table! Isn't that glass slippery? Oh, and I luvs that second picture of you with your ears all magnificent-like. That was after you puts on make-up, right? I'm sorry you got dumped on the streets but it all worked out pretty darn good, huh?

Hi Mayzie! The glass is not at all slippery, unless Merlin someone knocks over a cup of water on it right before you jump up. Thank you for noticing my makeup in that picture - yes, I worked very hard to look that good! And I am very lucky to have been rescued. I know it makes my mom sad that she gets calls about more dogs like me and Ziggy and she has to say no because she doesn't have any more room. So I'm just glad I got here first, and I work hard to make her happy that she rescued me.

This is how you do it.

Kari in WeHo said...
Was it Tripoli who beat you up?

Sigh... I hate to talk about this, but I must admit it. Tripoli the three-legged dog really is a super-dog.  Otherwise a three-legged dog would NEVER have been able to embarrass me that way. He went to another foster home for awhile, but he came back yesterday. Mom hasn't let me be in the same room with him yet, but I made sure to remind him who is boss around here from the other side of the door. Three legs or not, next time I will show no mercy! Oh wait... mom says I have to be nice. Okay, but he better not try to beat me up a second time!

The Booker Man said...
miss noelle,
first off, i looove your name cuz it's my mama's name, too. same spelling and everythingie! :)
second like, how do you stand on the coffee tables and stuff without breaking them? that is super impressive. i think you should give an informational on that.
oh, and don't those twizzlers get stuck in your teethies? that's what my mama always says when she eats them.

Hi Booker Man - Don't worry, standing on tables is easy. You can jump on and off of them and stand on them, at least until your mom or dad notices you. If you're deaf, you even get a few extra seconds of ignoring them since you can pretend you don't notice them yelling and running toward you from across the room. If you time it just right, you can jump off right before they get there so you can act like you don't know what you did wrong and you can get away with doing it over and over. It does help to be deaf though.

I'm pretending not to look at mom.

Oh, and Twizzlers don't get stuck in my teeth, but that's because I practice chewing all the time. It really helps. See the little black pieces of rubber all over the floor in the above picture? That was where I just finished chewing up yet another dog toy - my second one that day. Its all about practicing - you might suggest that to your mom.

Pibble said...
Hi, Noelle- it's great to learn a little more about you. I love your crazy ears! Did you know that I have dogs with crazy ears, too? See, now we have something in common!

Hi Pibble - I didn't know you had dogs with crazy ears! I bet they are super-smart though. I'm pretty sure the height of a dog's ears above his head is directly related to how smart a doggie is. If a bassett hound could teach his ears to stand up in the air, he'd be the smartest dog in the world! Even my mom says she can't argue with that.

Lola said...
Noelle, this is all most interesting. Standing on the coffee table is an unusual hobby, but that's what makes the world go 'round, right? You do seem to be just as lovely as your Mom has always said you are. Thanks for sharing these details. It's always fun to learn more about furiends.

Thank you Lola. I think that while some rules are important to follow, many rules are just made to be broken. In fact, you might consider rule-breaking as just another hobby.

Two Pitties in the City said...
I can't believe she was dumped as a 3 month old. When did they find out she was deaf? I guess it's not really any different, as long as you use the hand motions, but I think it intimidates people.

Hi fellow pitties... Mom says the shelter knew I was deaf right away. It's pretty easy to tell when I can sleep even through a loud shelter environment and can't hear someone call me. Maybe for less social dogs it would be harder to tell, but as you know most of us pitties want to respond to human attention right away, so if someone calls us and we don't answer unless we can see them, that's a pretty good indicator. And really being deaf isn't much different. Most doggies learn sign language easier than they learn human words. So mom says the only hard part is getting my attention if I'm not looking at her. And they actually make vibrating collars for that, but I told mom I don't need a vibrating collar. I try to always just keep one eye on her in case she wants me! Unless of course I'm standing on a table at the time.


So that's all of the questions I had - thank you for reading, and hopefully mom will be back soon to tell you more about everything going on at our house. In the meantime she is trying to post quick updates on her Facebook page, so those of you who are on Facebook, feel free to stop by and say hi.