A large Update

So it has been awhile since I have updated the blog. So I have lots to update on so here goes.

Mason was adopted and walked out of my home confident and happy to be going to his new home.

McGarrett was adopted into a family out of town where he will be the center of attention and loved.

Midge was adopted. She went to a fantastic home with another dog and a little girl that is claimed her as her own.

Tyson has found his forever family and is currently waiting for them to come and pick him up. Tyson has been a dude in the few weeks he has been living here. I have struggled with wanting him to join my dog family but realize that 4 dogs is way to much for me to own especially if I plan to continue fostering. Tyson is a dude. Where ever we go we find him making himself at home. At a friends BBQ he curled up in a camping chair and took a nap, at a friends he took a nap on the bed in the kids room. He is just one of those dogs that can go anywhere and be with anyone. His potential forever family is excited to have him join them and I am confident that he will fit in very well. He will have 2 kids to hang out with and a Mom and Dad that will love him, take him camping and running and give him lots of love.

Lulu has moved into the home from holding. Lulu came into ARF very skinny. After she was spayed she had to gain some weight before being put up for adoption. She is now available for adoption. She has become a very active and happy little girl. She plays with all the other dogs in the home, sleeps through the night and is doing very well with her house training.

Bryant arrived here last night. He is a 1.5 year old adult dog who came from Eden Valley. He has fit into the house very well and is a sweet natured and gentle man. He slept through the night in the crate and has figured out how to walk on a leash. He is a dude that loves to hang with and cuddle with her foster mom.

Bryant and Thelma have become fast friends and I have been referring to them as Team Trouble. Thelma is showing Bryant the ropes.

An update

Well Missy has been adopted!!! She found her forever home with G after she charmed her way into his heart at Petsmart.

Mason and Mc Garrett are growing like weeds and develop more and more personality every day. Pups are sleeping through the night, can now sit and are working on house training.

Mc Garrett has had a transformation in the past few weeks. He is no longer the geek but now the cool dude. He reminds me of Danny from the movie Grease. He has discovered the toy box and helps himself to whatever toy he feels like playing with at that moment. He loves to play in the sprinkler and can't quite figure out why the residents of the house are allowed on the couch and he has to lay on the floor. He has now learned that if he pulls the old dogs tail the old dog gets off the couch. Mc Garrett believes this is a fun game.

Mason came to my home a little shy and now he is one of the most outgoing pups I have had. He takes a bit to warm up to new people but he is my shadow when I am home. His new trick is to bring me the empty food bowl. He drops it at my feet and then looks up at me with these amazing puppy dog eyes and I feed him. He has me trained.

My personal adopted ARF pup, Thelma, is doing very well and learning lots. She now comes with me to the barn and one car rides much like my other 2. She has decided that she is no longer "one of those puppies" and feels that she must eat with the adult dogs and nap with the adult dogs. But when it is time to play she is in the middle of the fosters and plays hard with them.

Thelma is working on becoming a barn dog. With this comes learning to love carrots as treats as often that is an on hand treat. Well she has taken this a little too seriously and seems to only want carrots as treats. Because of this she got a carrot at home today and immediately Mason and Mc Garrett wanted carrots too. Below are some pictures. My old dog Marvin couldn't believe they were all wrestling over a carrot.

All the pups fighting over a carrot. Marvin can't believe it.

Mason and Mc Garrett knawing away on carrots.

More adoptions and some new additions

McGarrett and Missy taking a nap after a long afternoon of playing.

Well it has been awhile since I updated so here goes.

Morse was adopted into a fantastic new home where he has become the apple of his new mom and dad's eyes. He will be missed around here as his go anywhere and do anything attitude was a pleasure to have around.

Mannix has been adopted into a great family with 2 kids. Mannix was very relaxed at his new home as I and his new Mom completed the adoption paperwork. He was right in there snuggling with his new kids and playing with toys that were specifically for him. He looked right at home and in a little piece of heaven within his new home.

Missy has a day visit lined up and she is really hoping that her new Mom is ready for her and wants to make her a permanent member of her home.

Mason moved in with me tonight. I guess ARF felt I wasn't busy enough so why not add another puppy to the mix. Well so far so good on the transition into the new foster home. He seems to be settling in well and appears excited to be playing with the other dogs and puppies in the house. Mason so far seems to be very shy and a little slow to warm up but I am sure we can crack that shell and draw him out into a wonderful dog that he is. He may just need a family or person willing to put the work in and have some patience.

Thelma and I started puppy classes at Dogma and so far have really enjoyed it. I found it interesting to see some of the very dogs discussed in this blog and who have lived in my foster home at the puppy classes with there new people. They all looked very good, happy and healthy.

Sponsor me in ARF’s Walk n’ Wag

Sponsor me in ARF’s Walk n’ Wag

I will be participating in the first annual Walk ' n 'Wag on September 26th 2010. If you are interested in sponsoring that would be great. My personal ARF adopted dog, Thelma, and I will be walking.

Thanks

Another busy day of Adoptions.

Magnum found his forever home today. It was a fantastic fit and entertaining to watch him settle into the home. His new Mom and Dad also have an 18 month old daughter. Magnum and the little girl became best friends instantly and were showing each other different tricks when I left the house last night. Magnum would follow her around and then she would follow Magnum around. Together they got into the shoes and explored the house. Magnum would not even come and say good bye to me when I left. He was more concerned about his new home and his new little buddy. I had been dismissed. I wish them the best of luck with Mags. He sure is a special puppy.

Thelma also found her forever home yesterday and has become a permanent member of my household. She is no longer a foster and now has an identification tag to prove it. After putting much thought into 'do i really need another dog' the answer was yes. I posted that very question on Facebook to see what friends had to say and most of them already considered Thelma mine. One referred to her as a kling-on to me when I am around. That helped seal the deal. I emailed one of the ARF chiefs and after agreeing to continue fostering Thelma was adopted to me. She spent her first night in a re-located crate in my room and was very good. She was a little unsure as to why the other dogs were on my bed and she was in a crate but she took it all in stride and had a good nights sleep. I explained to her that when she was older she too would be on the bed. As I type she is in the yard with my old dog Marvin playing away.

Marvin and Thelma caught playing the night before the adoption. She loves him sooo much.

Hanging with puppies!

So the week has been a little crazy with 4 puppies, my 2 dogs and a visiting dog as well. But we made it through the week and my hair hasn't turned grey yet! The first few nights were a little rough as the weather was not great meaning the puppies did the Indy 500 around my kitchen and living room rather then in the yard. As the weather has gotten nicer we have fallen into a beautiful routine. We get up early, go for a pee, go back to bed for a nap, get up again, have breakfast, play, nap, go for a pee, play, nap, have dinner, go to the off leash park, cat nap, play, play, run around like crazy, pee and then go to bed for the night. In between all this I somehow manage to work and ride my horses.

Thelma has officially worked her way into my heart. As a foster parent you come to love all the puppies that come through your home but sometimes you get that one that just seems to want to say and become a permanent member of the home. This is what Thelma is currently doing. She believes that she is a member of the house as she has been living with me for close to 6 weeks now. She still sleeps in her crate but the crate has made its way upstairs to the bedroom away from the other puppies in crates. She is still looking for that forever home and hoping someone soon realizes how special she really is and wants to make her a member of their family. Before her foster Mom adds another permanent member to the family. And I am unsure if having three personal dogs and continuing to foster might be a little bit nuts. Only time well tell.

Each puppy has a unique personality.

Morse is the dude of the group. He likes to hang out, observe his siblings and then jump in when he has assessed the situation and knows his next move. He loves to play and is also a big helper around the house. If i am sweeping, he is chasing the broom, if I am picking up dog poop in the yard he is out in the yard showing me where it all is.

Magnum is the lover of the group. He wants to please, loves to play and if possible would crawl into your skin when cuddling on the couch.

McGarrett (I've been calling him Garrett) is the geek of the group. He is independent but also loves to play. However he sometimes forgets who or what he is playing with and starts to stalk the bushes and rocks in my yard. He keeps you laughing though.

Ross and Scout both adopted!!!!

Well Sunday July 11th was a big day and a little bit crazy too. Not only did we have 6 puppies and 2 big dogs but we had 2 potential adoptions in the process. Oh ya and we have a friends dog staying with us for a few days now too.

Scout was the first to be adopted on Sunday morning. It was a sad day to see the Little Scout Man leave but he has found a great forever home were he will be the center of attention in a no child and no dog home. He seemed to settle in and explore in his new home with great ease and appeared confident when demanding cookies.

Ross also left us yesterday. He was very excited to see his new Mom when she came to pick him up as he wiggled in and out of her legs while we did the adoption paperwork. Ross went to a home with 3 boys who will keep him entertained and busy.

The 3 new puppies (Morse, McGarrett and Magnum) have all settled in well. They are a lot more confident then we thought when we met them at Petsmart. All have individual personalities and would each be an excellent addition to most households.

Well I will update more on the puppies in the next day. At this point I need to go see why it is all of a sudden so quiet outside. The silence concerns me.

6 puppies!!!!

Well I can say that 6 puppies and 2 adult dogs in the house for a night creates a lot of excitement and a few yellow spots. Of course it decided to pour with rain the night I have 8 dogs in total within my home limiting access and play in the yard.

3 new puppies came in my foster home yesterday from a different home that had the whole litter (8 puppies) and needed them all moved. The new additions were very shy to start and didn't want to come out from the big crate they all shared. I have to admit I was wondering how the 3 new ones would get along with the 3 old one. But they all hit it off without much difficulty. Ross lead the way and he would like believe directed and mentored them into the household routine, the 3 new puppies feel that he more railroaded them into the routine. With a little coaxing all came out for food and with some work and patience they have all settled in well. As I type all puppies are rolling around in the yard playing. I can honestly say that 3 or 4 puppies is much easier then 6 but it will be an adventure.

My aunt is in town visiting and was a huge help with the 3 new little guys as we kept them on a leash till they were comfortable in the yard.

The new members of my pack are:

Morse 3459M - Is a 2 month old terrier cross / mix breed. He is a very handsome pup but at this point is a little shy until a toy emerges that he wants to play with. Then he becomes this little ball of energy and charges around the yard with the toy and all the other puppies in hot pursuit.

Magnum 3458M - Is the smallest of the 3 that are in my home and is also a terrier mix / mix breed. He is the little dude of the group. He really seems to like exploring and he assists his brothers in being brave and getting comfortable within new surroundings. Magnum is a little snuggle bug who likes belly rubs and to lie down at feet.

McGarrett 3460M - Is a 2 month old Terrier mix breed. He will be a medium to large sized dog!

McGarrett has tons of personality when he becomes comfortable and at this point loves his ears scratched. Keep in mind he has only been in my home 12 hours.

Scout and Ross have both had day visits over the past two days and paws crossed they will both be adopted into forever homes today! Stay tuned for more adventures of an ARF Foster Home.

An exciting week and it is only half complete

As predicted a new puppy arrived within 24 hrs of Bailey being adopted. Ross came to me from another foster home that was going away and who had a family interested in meeting Ross and considering adoption. With this knowledge I invited Ross to come stay with me while we worked with potential adopters. Ross moved into the house with no problems and immediately began rolling with the punches. Ross is a BIG boy that loves to play. Thelma and Scout were not to sure what to make of this 'giant' puppy that tripped over his own feet when trying to play chase or steal and hide toys. Within 2 hours Ross had settled down in the house and Scout and Thelma were ready to play with him. The only condition they seemed to have was that Ross could not sit on them to gain control of the toys. Ross seemed to realize that the skill of sitting on the other puppy worked in his favor. Thelma and Scout seemed to band together and sneak attack him when he tried to do this. We have finally found a happy medium surrounding play where all puppies are happy and having fun. One of the ways they have achieved this was to let Ross think long and hard about how to get the treats out of the ball. Although the other dogs in the house tried to show Ross how to roll it around he went for the straightforward approach. Just chew a big hole in the ball and all the treats fall out without much work. Ross did all the work while the other two played and then they all shared the reward of Rossi's hard work by eating all the treats. A good team!



The night Ross moved in was a little busy. As I was loading the dishwasher my phone rang. The phone happened to be upstairs so I ran for it without thinking to close the dishwasher. It never entered my mind that Scout would be in the dishwasher doing a pre-wash by the time I got back downstairs.



I had to take pictures before letting Scout know that I have a pre-washed setting on the dishwasher and that his services were not required at this time.



And not to leave Thelma out of the mix she has now mastered the sit command. You sometimes just need to re-focus her as she is often concerned that the other dogs and puppies in the house are getting something that she isn't while she is having her sit lessons. But when you have her full attention she learns quickly and will do almost anything for a cookie. She really has turned into a little cookie monster. Thelma's ears have also started to fold in towards each other which make for the most amusing facial expressions and moments of almost catching her asleep.

Bailey has been adopted!!!

Bailey found her forever home this morning. After her day visit yesterday she didn't want to come back to my house for the night. She was far to comfortable on her new dog bed surrounded by toys she didn't have to share. Bailey relunctantly came home with me for the night and played with her foster brother and sister for one last big play. When we completed the adoption process this morning she walked into the new home as if she had never left. She was greeted by her 2 new kids and Bailey had her game face on and was ready for a day of play!

I sure am going to miss that little ball of energy and love but I am sure the next one will be just as special in its own unique way.

Say tuned cause I am sure another foster puppy will arrive at my house before sunset tonight

Bath time

Scout had his first bath today. Lots of dirt came out of the little man but he is so soft now. And he even enjoyed playing around under the shower head.

Another group of puppies

I started Fostering for ARF in mid-May and since then have fallen in love with all the puppies that have come through my home. I currently have three puppies living with me and each puppy is unique and special in its own way. I am currently on puppies number 4, 5 and 6.

Thelma has been with me the longest and has wiggled her way deep into my heart. She is a 3 month old mutt. She loves playing with cats, dogs and all toys. Thelma is a big snuggle bug and loves to curl up on my feet while i am on the computer.

Bailey moved in after Thelma and has really made her self at home here. She is independent, loves to play and also thinks that she owns the house.

Scout was the last puppy to join the house and he is the first male puppy that I have had. Scout has been very shy since he moved in but we had a breakthrough this morning. Jealousy motivated him to come snuggle on the couch with Bailey, Thelma and I. Since snuggle time this morning he has been in the mix and busy getting the layout of the house.