Archive for the ‘pups’ Category
Meet puppy Sugar Maple
Sugar Maple is a sweet, energetic little girl, born to a mama who looks to be part Golden Retriever/Labrador mixed with a setter or hound. Her mama, Willow is also up for adoption and is a mellow, playful, cuddly and patient dog. Her pups really take after her. Sugar Maple, who I just call “Sugar”, has a longer coat that is nearly white. She has a dainty look with a lot of spunk. Sugar is nearly house trained, having had the luxury of spending lots of time outside. She has had her first set of puppy shots, has been microchipped, and is on flea and heartworm preventative.
Chloe returns unexpectedly
Chloe returns
Our early summer foster Chloe (recently called Amber) is back…it didn’t work out with her adoptive family so she is back here with me. Sometimes this happens. Apparently she was acting very anxious when left alone and actually destroying parts of the house and her crates (yes crates). And I posted about her escape from the second story window, right? Anyway she wasn’t doing well and her adoptive family decided they could do no more for her. I have to respect that decision.
SO…things just got extra crazy over here. But the good news is that the dog I saw coming out of the car – ears flat against her head, teeth bared, growling and barking a warning not to get close, tail tucked hard under her, crouched down low – is not the dog lying here calmly as I write. She was VERY fearful in our first minutes together and didn’t stop barking. I just sat there and eventually she came up and sniffed me, backed away and then sniffed again and looked at me. I said, “yes, it’s me.” She then began sniffing the entire driveway, 
every inch of it. For once, I let her lead me and she sniffed her way to the puppy pen. Mike brought Willow out and we walked them together for a few minutes and everyone did fine. Then I put the two mamas into the pen with the pups and watched. Chloe’s tail, which was still tucked but less so by this time, sprang right up and began to wag happily…she remembered! You could see her sniffing the pups, remembering puppies but not these puppies…but it didn’t seem to matter to her after a bit. She licked them, sniffed them all over and lay down and rolled around as they crawled all over her – just like she used to with her group. It was wonderful to see. Meanwhile, Willow took advantage of my stationary position and the lack of puppy attention and jumped up on a chair next to me and let me pet and pet and pet her. Everyone was happy. I just sat there feeling happy for Chloe who has had a hell of a 6 weeks…she deserves this happiness.
The difficult thing for me was that I had second guessed my decision to let this family adopt her in the first place. It is hard not to think “what if I had honored my instincts and said “no” – then none of this would have happened.” I don’t think most people realize the position us “rescue folk” are in – we get these dogs in terrible shape…we clean them up, get them healthy, teach them how to live in a house and give them some manners and just when they are good members of our families we have to let them go…to perfect strangers. We try to screen, interview and I know for a fact that this process of trying to determine a good match really pisses some people off…believe me, I’ve been yelled at a lot more than I’d like to be lately. But we do this to try to prevent the heartbreak that happens when we are wrong…I know that Chloe’s adoptive family is feeling terrible right now. I don’t think there is any easy way to let a dog go, not one that you’ve spent time loving and getting to know. But I just wish there was a way to know for sure if they and the dog will be a good match. I do know that I learn more and more each time I place a dog. And I really do learn more from my failures than my successes…still, I hate to see the suffering.
So, if any of you have to deal with us rescue people, and our annoying applications and redundant questions, please have a bit of patience. We are just trying to do our job well. And if any of you want to give Chloe a second chance at happiness please let H.E.L.P. know…she’ll need a family with a lot of dog experience, one where the main “pack leader” is home full time, and preferably a home with another dog, a high fence, and lots of love.
What to feed puppies
Ash likes water
The puppy appointments went well today! I really liked all the people I met (thank goodness!) and feel good about them. The puppies had a full day of outside time meeting everyone. I also introduced them to water (a small pool) and no one was very interested in it…except Ash. He sort of took to it. If someone out there is interested in a water loving dog, he’d be the best shot in this group…and what a sweetie. Anyone??
Here’s a question I got from one of my new families and my response:
1. I’m reading so many different things about what to feed puppies and I wanted to get your opinion. Soft, hard, mixed? what brand?
In terms of feeding – I like feeding dry (hard) food as it is the most cost effective and it helps clean the teeth better than wet food. I am also a big fan of brushing your dog’s teeth (with dog toothpaste only, but a human tooth brush is fine – get an “enzymatic” toothpaste either from a pet superstore or the vet.) Brands vary so educate yourself…stay away from “by products” or “animal fat”…if you don’t know what it is you shouldn’t be feeding it to your dog!
I feed my dogs Canidae and if I didn’t feed that I’d feed Natural Balance – both good foods. Nutro makes a good brand, but one of my dog’s has an allergic (skin) reaction to it. Stay away from “puppy chow”” or anything you can buy in the grocery store…unfortunately. You will pay more for the good stuff but you will feed smaller portions (compare feeding portions – they vary wildly…a poor quality food will require up to 7 cups to get the same nutritional value as 2 cups of a high quality food.) In addition, feeding smaller portions means a smaller stool size – something to really shoot for with the big dogs!
Canidae All Life Stages Dry Dog Food 35 lb. Bag
Natural Balance Potato & Duck Dog Food Allergy Formula 17 lb. Bag
Willow and pups romping in the yard
Here is a video of mama Willow and her eight pups playing in the yard on a beautiful July afternoon.
See this video and others on YouTube.
The adoption process is underway
The adpotion applications for Willow‘s litter are starting to come in. This time is always stressful – the pups are older now and demanding more and more attention from me. They want ME too, not just my care, feeding and cleaning, they want to play with, explore, bite, lick and cuddle with me. And this is the exact time that I have to be on the computer reading applications, calling people and setting up appointments to have people visit. Sigh.
It is a bittersweet time too, because I am just starting to get attached to these little guys. I’ve seen them through their TWO illnesses and they are healthy, happy, playful puppies now. I am learning more about their personalities and already have my favorites…can you guess? And just as that is starting to happen I have to start talking to the people who will eventually take them away from me. It is just part of the process, I know. And once I’ve met the families who will adopt the pups I feel happy about their 
futures…I like the people I adopt my puppies to – I couldn’t let them go if I didn’t. So once they are real people to me, not just names on applications, I get really excited for them, and the puppies stop feeling like mine and start feeling like theirs – but until then, for this next week or so, they feel like mine and I know I’m going to lose them and that is a sad and difficult feeling.
Speaking of liking my families – I LOVE Chloe‘s group! I have, as I said, liked all my families but this group has really kept in contact with each other and have included me and I feel really honored to be let in on these puppies’ lives as they grow up. I have had a chance to see 6 of my 7 pups (and I totally understand Sweet William‘s family not wanting to make that 2 hour drive out my way again!) and you don’t know how good it feels to see them all thriving. Thank you all for including me!
Sweet William is growing into a big boy
We have an update from Sweet William of Chloe’s litter…
Here’s William! He’s 25 pounds now, and while the biting is still much more than we would like, the trainer gave us some great tips, and we have seen improvement since Tuesday. One persistent problem has been diarrhea. The vet suggests that he could have a grain allergy. So we’re trying grain-free food, and hoping for the best.
