Archive for the ‘story update’ Category
Birch update at 9 weeks
Here’s an update on Birch at nine weeks…
Everything is going really well here. Birch is very comfortable in her new home. She loves playing with all the kids and is sleeping well through the night. She just was at the vet and got her nine week puppy shots. She had a puppy parasite but the doctor said it was common. Here are some pictures of Birch and we’ll talk to you soon!
A personal note from puppy Tucker
This is a loving update from Tucker‘s (formerly Oak) new mama to me. Thank you SO much for this!!
Hi Mom, I asked my new Mom to send this for me. I know you must be resting after taking such good care of me, my brothers, sisters and mom Willow!!
I LOVE my new house!! Mom says I am a great addition. I am working on my potty behavior but thank goodness they have plenty of little towels as I am not there quite yet, but improving daily with my training. I know when I get scooped up and suddenly have grass under my feet this is where I should be. My sister is awesome, she tolerates me playing with her fluffy tail…. man what a lot of hair!! We wrestle, play bite and play tug of war with the toys, more toys than I have ever seen in my entire life! Mom got me these little puppy bones that I love to chew on and it makes my teeth feel better. Oh-oh-oh and the best part, at nite I have this HUGE bed to sleep on, and it is sooo soft!
Don’t get mad but we do watch TV for awhile before turning the lights out, you will be proud though, I am sleeping through the nite since Saturday and Mom usually is up before I even think of it. I do still love lots of naptime during the day though so no new news there. The only thing I am not liking right now is having to stay in this big crate if Mom has to leave for work for a couple of hours. Montana, my sister, does come in to eat while I am in there and lays next to it which makes me feel better. Now that I think of it, she only comes in when I quit yelping like a banshee… maybe I should work on that? I did make another new friend yesterday, a little stray tiger kitty who is a new mom. She seems nice, but did whap me on the nose when I got a little too friendly, we are about the same size. Mom says as soon as she brings her babies around for food she will take them to the shelter so they get good homes like I did!
Well, I better go for now..Mom says if I sit still long enough she will get some pics to send next time. We go to the doctor Saturday, I don’t know if that will be a good thing, kinda scared, but I am willing to try it. I am listening, learning and getting tons of affection, so no worry there! I’ll sneak another note soon when Mom isn’t using her laptop.
Thanks for all you did for me to get me off on the right paw and I do miss you! Say hi to everyone for me…….
Lots and lots of licks and tail wags,
Tucker
Update on puppy Sugar
We received a note from the family of Sugar (known as Sugar Maple from Willow’s litter)…
Hello,
Just a little update on Sugar, she is such a sweetheart, she is really starting to feel more comfortable at her new home as she is exploring and very playful. The first night in her crate she did not do so well, a lot of crying and whining so I let her sleep with me, needless to say neither one of us got very much sleep. The second night we let her cry for awhile and she did calm down and sleep until 3:00. The third night she slept from 11:00 until 6:00, no crying. Right now as I’m writing this she is asleep in her crate, we leave the door open in the day and she goes in when she wants a nap. My son Sam is really getting comfortable with her too. He is constantly picking her up and carries her from room to room, she seems to like all the attention. It is so funny the difference in the way she plays with Sam and his friends other than with adults. She likes to run with the kids and she loves shoelaces. Thanks again for letting us adopt Sugar, we just love her so much. Oh I forgot to mention, she hasn’t had one accident in the house!
Update on Lily
Here is an update note I received on Lily (from Chloe’s litter) from her forever family…
Today we went to the vet and Lily is a whopping 23.5 lbs. That is a 6.5 lb gain in 3 weeks. She got her last distemper and her first rabies and her nails trimmed. They did listen to her lungs and stuck their fingers down her throat trying to figure out the hacking issue in the morning till they eat. I had mentioned that a few other littermates were having the same issue. She said the lungs sound clear and there was nothing blocking in her throat, that she might have a little reflux. Her recommendation to me was to give lily a half of a 10 mg pepcid ac at night before she goes to bed and see if that helps. So we will try that tonight.
Last night William wanted to be brave and let Lily sleep on her pillow all night in our room instead of the crate. We blocked it off so she was only contained to our room and she slept all night no accidents. When he got up at 6 he took her out and let her have roam of the kitchen, family room and our bedroom till I get up at 8:30. We have been letting her roam the 3 rooms in the morning from when William wakes up till I get up for over a week and no accidents. So she is moving up in the world!!!
She is zonked right now, it is nap time, plus the shots and anxiety of the vet knock her out all day.
We have also been taking puppy classes with Kristin and Lily knows sit, leave it and is working on stay. She is also walking very well on the training collar Kristin recommended, walking her is now a breeze and enjoyable instead of being pulled everywhere.So that is my Lily update
Heather
Report on 2 mama dogs and 8 puppies
Chloe is doing well but is either coming off her meds or showing more of her personality…she is fearful of shy men, barking at them and running off. She is barking more when I leave her and she doesn’t want to be left but fine when she’s fine with it. She chewed up her pillow in her crate but still is quiet and goes in easily. Is great with Willow (I’d like to see them go together if this family for Willow doesn’t work out) and great with my dogs. She loves to run and run and run…She is very sweet with people comfortable with dogs, and her reaction to the people is a good way to read prospective puppy homes. She still loves “her” (Willow’s) puppies but is preferring to spend more time apart from them. She is fussing more when I leave her somewhere she doesn’t want to be left but is usually fine in the puppy pen. She is still settling in…
The pups are all spoken for I think. That is a relief! And possibly Willow! She had a meeting with a family and did wonderfully – nice to the kids, no jumping, came instantly on being called…who could ask for more?
And the puppies…SO BIG! They are getting huge. They seem healthy and happy and I am so ready to see them go…sad but true. I will miss them a lot when they are gone but I am ready for a break. They completely fill the puppy room with poop and pee each night so cleaning up is no fun…they really want more people attention too. I feel completely pulled in many different directions. I keep trying to remember to stay in the present, do what is in front of me, and not to think about the work ahead of me. It is easier when I can successfully do that, and nearly impossible when I forget. I am trying hard to remember.
Chloe is ready for adoption
Chloe is a sweet, gentle dog we had while she nursed her puppies. She is a small dog, about 45 pounds with a beautiful reddish coat. She looks like a Golden mix, maybe with some Sheltie or Border Collie..She was adopted out but her adoptive family did not meet her needs and she was very unhappy. Fortunately they released her to my house again and in just two days she is back to her sweet self.
Chloe is a dog who is very smart and she is used to getting what she wants. Therefore, an experienced dog owner would be best. She would really benefit from obedience training as a way for her to learn to use her smarts in productive ways. She has climbed my 5 foot chain link fence (once) and regularly jumps the 3 foot chicken wire fence we use to separate the yard. However, she usually just stays in the fenced yard with our other foster dog and her puppies. She is not difficult to handle and responds well to mild verbal corrections. She walks well on a leash and used to only need a buckle collar, now a prong is helpful in the beginning. She needs a daily walk of at least a half an hour, more would be best. She is fine with other dogs but sometimes shows some fear at first.
Chloe is not fond of her crate and will protest with barking and clawing at it. I have found that if I ignore this and use an electric no-bark collar she settles within five minutes of my crating her and is fine on my return. I have left her no more than 3 hours at a time during the day and crate her the entire night (8+ hours). She is crated in a room with another dog and that may help her. Her adoptive family claimed she had “severe separation anxiety” but I don’t see that. She spends most of the day with other dogs in my yard and very little one on one time with me. I do think she would like more people time but she isn’t the most cuddly dog. Likely she will be more cuddly when she trusts you. She has been through a lot.
She would do best in a home with another dog and a home where people are around most of the time. She would not do well with someone who works full or even part time regularly. A stay at home parent would be best. She loves my son (6 years old) and his friends but they tend to say hello and ignore her. When she was at my home previously I categorized her as the easiest and sweetest dog I have ever had. I felt then that she could go to any sort of home and she’d be fine. Now, however, she has some baggage so trust will have to be earned by her next owner. But do not get me wrong, this dog has a ton of potential and is very sweet.
If you are interested in giving Chole a forever home, apply through H.E.L.P.
