Three New Dogs!

I know what you're thinking.  After yesterday's post, you're thinking that I don't NEED any more dogs, and if I really brought in three more, I'm probably going to need professional help.  And if that's what you're thinking, you're absolutely right.  But wait until you meet them, and then you'll understand.  Plus, one of them wasn't my fault.  And in fact that one has already moved on to another foster home.  So I'm not as crazy as it seems. Really.

Let's start with the one who has been and gone.  Now that I live in a rural area with no animal control, a few of my neighbors are starting to learn that I do dog rescue.  A few months ago one of them brought me a blind Boston Terrier, and fortunately we located his owners after just a few days.  Then last week the owners of the Boston Terrier called me and told me a stray dog had shown up at their house and she was very skinny - could I help?  I went to their house and found an emaciated Blue Tick Coonhound wearing a faded hunting collar and no tags.  So in spite of the eight foster dogs waiting at home, I put her in the car and brought her back home too.

I named her Shiloh.  The veterinarian checked her out, and she weighs 36 pounds when she should weigh 55-60 pounds.  She's about a year old, extremely friendly, and with the loudest baying bark I have ever heard.  It's quite impressive (although I'm not sure everyone agrees).  She doesn't have a microchip and the Lost Dog signs put up by the people who found her have produced no owners, so Shiloh has become an All Paws Rescue dog.  After she was here for a few days, another foster home had an opening and was able to take her, so now Shiloh is at her new foster home where she'll be able to enjoy the good life while she gains some much-needed weight before she can be spayed and listed for adoption.  I'd like to thank Casey Jones' mom for helping with Shiloh's vet bills, and Bev for giving Shiloh a great place to recuperate.  Thanks!

And then there's this girl - her name is Skittles.

Skittles is a three year old Papillon who weighs all of twelve pounds.  But don't let her fool you - she can hold her own with Jefferson and the other big dogs!  She is very playful and affectionate.  Skittles was at another rescue for over a year, and spent six months of that year with a trainer to help her overcome her fear of strangers.  She originally came from a hoarding situation where she didn't get much attention or socialization, so she had a lot to overcome.  But she's come a long way in the past year and when another rescue lost one of their main foster homes, I was happy to help by taking this very sweet dog.  She will be holding out for an active home with no kids so that she can have the perfect situation for her, but I'm pretty sure it won't take her long to find it!  In the meantime she doesn't leave my side - she sleeps on my pillow and scares the bigger dogs off the couch so she can sit next to me when I'm on the computer.  She's always happy, and I love having her here.

And then there's one more dog.  She's another one I was not expecting to keep for long.  But the reason I still have her is totally my fault.

This is Shelby.  She is a deaf pit bull with one blue eye and one brown eye.  I took her with the plan to evaluate her and then send her to a new foster home.  But something unexpected happened.  I fell in love.  I know, I fall in love with all of them.  But she's extra special, and I can't bear to let her go just yet.  She reminds me so much of my dog Noelle, who I really miss (she's still living with my husband at our old house).  Shelby is the most laid back, lazy dog I've had since Noelle.  She is easy-going and gets along with everyone.  She has perfect manners, except in the car when she likes to bark at the other cars going by.  She sleeps a lot!  Since the first hour I brought her home, I've been thinking about what it would be like if I could keep her.  But I can't adopt her until I find a job, and at this point she hasn't even been here long enough for me to be sure that she would be happy here.  So for now I'm just enjoying having her around, and trying not to fall any more in love than I already am.

She always has this serious and slightly concerned look on her face!

So those are my new dogs - there are eight here right now, but fortunately they all get along except of course Ziggy, so that makes it much easier.  I'm pretty sure that I'll have to cut back on fostering quite a bit once I find a job, but for now, I love having them all here.  Most of them, anyway.  If you'd like to foster or adopt any of these wonderful dogs (except Shelby!), please visit www.allpawsrescue.info.