This, That and the Other Thing

Well, there has been a lot of upsets and changes:

Fluffy White Thing, also known as Mini-Zee, or Ruffy, has found a home. He is living with an older couple as the only dog and seems to be thriving.

Weasel's stitches have healed, after some messing with them, ointments and an e-collar. Now, she just has the funny looking shaved patch. As she is rather funny looking, it seems to work for her.

Spoiled One had an unfortunate episode of colitis that just seemed to get worse and worse. I ended up taking him to the vet. He gave me drugs and suggested a bland diet. Spoiled One recovered, which was a relief, as the weather was way too cold to leave him outside when I was at work, and one of the symptoms was diarrhea. (Too much info, I know) In the course of diagnosis, x-rays were taken which showed he had developed some arthritis (spurs and a lesion) in his spine. I am not surprised, he is getting older, and he used to do complete back flips on concrete for the Frisbee when I first got him. However, it's very hard to think of my puppy getting old. They recommended I keep doing the flyball and activities with him, unless he shows pain, as that is what's keeping him in such good condition.

And, my thoughts have turned to puppies. Weasel will be four, Spoiled One ten this year. I need a new training challenge. I'm sure I could find the perfect dog in rescue, but there is a breeder who has a line of dogs I've been admiring and wanting one of. She's a good breeder, with a rigorous owner screening process and a friend of a friend. So, I will get a puppy from her. It looks like Summer before the female I want a puppy out of will be in season.

All of this means no foster dogs, for a while.

Bennie Update

Well, the foster puppy is still ridiculously cute. He's a very mellow boy in the house, content to lay at your feet. He gets quite playful when invited, though. Right now, he is bouncing around the back yard with Spoiled One, like a pair of oversize kittens.

Bennie does not have the high drive that my other two have, which makes him much easier to live with. He would probably do better at agility than flyball. I don't mean that he isn't playful - he definitely is. He's certainly an agile puppy, bouncing over things. He likes toys and interactive play.

He appears to be housebroken, but I haven't given him much opportunity to disprove that. He's respectful of stuff in the house. Only one shoe has been victimized, which, for a ten month old puppy is pretty good. He does fine out in the backyard by himself with no sign of anxiety or repetitive behaviours. He doesn't bark, except on rare occasions.

He likes games, but has selective hearing if you don't keep him engaged.

Still no mouthing.

Bennie

There is a cute puppy running around my house. His name is "Benny" and he is visiting until someone falls in love with him and whisks him off to an adoptive home.

I don't know much about Benny. I believe he came from a shelter West of here, an owner surrender. He appears to be at that gangly adolescent stage that Labradors tend to live their entire lives in. I don't know his parentage. The guess seems to be border collie/hound. Maybe he's border collie/Labrador. Anyway, he's a cute black and white medium size bundle of legs and tail and questing nose, probably seven to ten months old.

He's very gentle for a puppy that age. He doesn't mouth at all, so far. Benny is respectful of the cat and the other two dogs without being frightened or intimidated. He likes everyone he meets. When trying to get your attention, he is very tempted to jump up on you or at least paw at you, but he is working on that. He does well on a leash, for a puppy. Benny has little or no recall, but, again, he's working on it. He has mastered "sit" and "down" in a couple of very short lessons. He doesn't get fetch yet, but can see there are possibilities.

Inside, he hasn't had an accident or destroyed anything yet. He stayed in his crate nicely overnight. He doesn't understand that people food doesn't = puppy food, but he's working on it. When opening the car door or crate, Benny tends to rush off and so the concept of "wait" is being introduced. Benny has a wonderful "off switch." Each time I've come to my computer, he has curled up on his bed and dozed off. Puppies often are prone to car sickness, and Benny is no exception.

Anyway, that is my impression after 24 hours. If you are interested in Benny, check out http://www.broandtracy.org/broandtracy/index.shtml Benny is the smooth-coated dog at the bottom of the page.

Cutie Holly

No, I didn't get a new dog. Miss Holly is a dog in rescue that I am fostering. Actually, I just have her on weekends, for now. She is a little chubby black tri aussie, incredibly cute little dog. Holly arrived at my house earlier today and within a few hours seems to have settled in as one of the pack. She has exhibited no tendency to eat the cat or assault her doggy siblings, and is very sweet. Both Spoiled One and Weasel have messed with her in the expected fashion, play solicitation and/or posturing. She hasn't accepted any play invites, yet.

She's a very quietly interactive dog. Holly hangs out in the same room, laying behind the chair or underfoot, occassionally checking in for an ear skritch. She's already responding and doing behaviours for treats, though she has that initial reserve some aussies have. Holly walks nicely on a leash, shows no cat aggression, and appears to be retaining her housebreaking. So far, she seems to have a good off-switch, settling nicely when I am on the computer or reading. She's also a bundle of fuzzy wuzzy cuteness.

My evil plan is to drag her out and about to meet more people and dog sports people so that someone will fall in love with her and give her a permanent home, but this weekend is just for getting to know her and chilling out.

I'll give another update on her when I get to know her a bit. If anyone is interested, the application for her can be made through Bro & Tracy. http://www.broandtracy.org/animalwelfare.shtml (Holly can be found a little ways down on the page.)