Archive for the ‘Willow’ 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.
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!
Willow is ready for adoption
Willow is a sweetheart! The vet has her age at 2 years but I strongly feel she is under 1 year of age. Either way she is full of playful puppy energy. She looks to be a golden/yellow lab mixed with some sort of setter or hound – she has a long nose and droopy ears that she has to get from one of these breeds. She walks beautifully on a leash with only a buckle collar, is house trained, and is one of the most patient dogs I have ever come across. She will wait for me to clean up the puppy room for nearly an hour just standing quietly, watching me. She loves everyone she meets, especially children. She would love a family who has time to spend with her as she really likes being with people. She would also like an active family but she deeply appreciates cuddle time as well. Willow has is up to date on all her shots and has been microchipped.
Willow is ready for adoption from H.E.L.P. via HelpingAnimals.org
Cleaning up for the night
Ok, back now…That must have been the fastest ever clean up! Things are getting better. I picked up all the papers, swept the room, changed all the bedding – put the old in the laundry and the new in the beds (3), cleaned and refilled all the water bowls (4), cleaned and refilled all the food bowls (3), pottied all the pups (put them all outside where they cried and hopefully pottied), pottied Willow (nasty runny poop – oh well), repapered the entire room, and then gave each puppy and Willow their medication for the night….whew. They are all eating happily and quietly and I am off to bed. Hey, it’s before midnight! That is always a good thing.
