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Ode to Otis

March 9, 2016

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ode to a dog

I might be sharing my last request to help find a home for my latest foster.  If your are looking for a dog that is looking for his person then Otis is the one.  He is a Shepard mix.  I think maybe Australian Shepard or Blue Heeler.  He definitely has the herding instinct.

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This is his write up:

Otis is a sweet boy.  He is great with dogs and kids.  He is curious about cats and will chase them if they run.  He loves to be petted and will just rest his head in your lap while you rub is very soft ears.  He has the best white spot on his chest that he also loves to have rubbed.  He is showing some characteristics of his herding breed but he knows appropriate behaviors and hasn’t tried to herd me yet.  He is high energy and while he tolerates being in the crate all day I would not recommend this life for him.  He loves going on walks and enjoys car rides.  He is very good off leash and comes back to me when called.  He is also used to being around horses and learned quickly to get out of their way.  He loves to sleep by me all night and follows me around the house all day.  He is waiting for his forever family to share his happy go lucky life with.

Check out his slo mo video to see him in action.

Thanks for sharing!

 

 

Noah’s Bark

December 7, 2015

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This past Thanksgiving my parents and I were joined by my Goddaughter and her mom (my best friend since Kindergarten).

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We have a lot to be thankful this year but the biggest one is that my Goddaughter successfully completed over 2 years of Chemotherapy for leukemia and is now officially in remission.

It was her first visit back to the farm since the diagnosis and we had a wonderful day.  Riley (my flat coat retriever) was having no part of this rambunctious 4 year old. Which surprised us all because he loves people but we figured out that maybe he was being protective of me.

The one who really surprised us was Kinzer, who I introduced to you in this post.  He is my most recent foster dog and wonderful little Dachshund.  He followed her around and played with her.  We went to the barn and everyone helped with feeding the horses.

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That night we had a sleep over as her mom was getting her ready for bed they were reading a book about Noah’s ark.  Kinzer was already up on the bed with this listening to the story .  Out of no where, she said to her mom this dogs name is Noah.  So based on the recommendation of a 4 year old we renamed him Noah.

But the wonders of dogs does not end there.  Piper (my old lady boarder collie) decided to join them in bed.  She has not been on the bed in over 2 years.  I didn’t even think that she could jump up on the bed anymore, her arthritis has been bothering her recently, but sure enough there she was on the bed with them.

Dogs are wonderful creatures, sometimes I think they know more than we think they do.

 

 

Oops I did it again!

November 10, 2015

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I just can’t say no to helping out Critter Calvary Rescue.  I have a new foster dog looking for a forever home.

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Meet Speck!

This is his write up from the rescue: “This fabulously handsome boy is called Speck and is  sweet as he is beautiful.   This year old boy is a good medium energy level and only 38 pounds.    His adorable smile and his Dog talk to the humans is just charming as can be.   Those delicious freckles are addictive. When you meet this boy.  Everyone that meets him is quite impressed with his temperament and easy going way.   He is cat tested and has done well with them.  We know he is wonderful with people, children and other dogs.”

He is a big love.  The crawl up in your lap and bury his face in you kind of puppy love.  He is still very much a puppy, but a good boy.  He is the kind of dog that just wants “his human”.  He doesn’t want to run off when we walk around the pastures, he sticks close by and makes sure he knows what I am doing at all times.  He is going to make a wonderful companion!  Please share this post to find this fur baby a great home.

Jett’s Off

October 14, 2015

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It was a beautiful fall day at the park, Jett and I had been to just last week.

IMG_0072She thought it was just another walk in the park but actually we were there to meet her new forever family.

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Critter Calvary said the name change was brilliant.  I had no idea it made that much of a difference but they said as soon as they published the updated bio and her real name on the adopt a pet websites they started getting hits.  I spoke to this lovely couple over the weekend, they rescued their first dog (Codie I think). He is a very shy and timid boy that spent most of his life in shelters with out much socialization.

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They sounded like the perfect dog owners… They take him for 4 one mile walks a day and are working with an animal behaviorist.  They decided they wanted anther dog to help him adjust to pack life and play with him.

We met at this near by park and Jett seemed the perfect match.  The right size and temperament (excited but not over-baring).  I think it may have been love a t first sight.  So I suggested they take them both for a walk. They came back smiling. I told them a little more about her and they decided to adopt her.

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As they drove away my heart felt heavy.

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I have had her for 6 months.  She followed me around every room of the house since April 1st.  She ate my flip flops and tops of my boots.  She slept at the foot of my bed every night and gave me cuddles and kisses every morning.  Fostering dogs is not easy but to think she is now doing those things with her forever family makes it all worth while.

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Confessions of a Canine Foster Mom

September 30, 2015

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I have had Jett for 7 months now which is a long time for a foster dog.  It maybe because because of the color of her fur.
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Black dog syndrome or big black dog syndrome is a disputed phenomenon in which black dogs are passed over for adoption in favor of lighter-colored animals.

But… I have another theory on why she is still with me

Jett’s rescue group Critter Calvary Rescue emailed me the other day to “write up a new and improved bio on this girl so we can Make a full court effort to find her a home SOON!”

This is my reply email to them:

“So I have figured it out… Why Cecelia has not found her forever home yet is because her name is not Cecelia.
I have a confession… I couldn’t call her Cecelia, she doesn’t look or act like a Cecelia.  (I think a King Charles Spaniel would be a good Cecelia.) Also my Aunt and Godmother’s name was Celia. I just couldn’t call her her that.
I kept her first adopters name Jett.  It suits her because of her beautiful jet black shiny coat and she jets off whenever she is free in the fields.  Jett is also a lot easier to say and call her back to me.
So if it is not too much trouble may I suggest a name change in her write up.
Jett is a true bundle of joy in the perfect 40 pound package.  She loves giving kisses, especially when you are not expecting it she will plant a big wet dog kiss on you. She is great with kids.  When the one year old comes over to visit she will let him crawl all over her and pull on her fur.  Never a growl or even an attempt to move away.
She loves the great outdoors.We took her on a hike at the near by the bolder park. She was a steady as a mountain lion jumping from rock to rock.  She followed us across ravine walking on the downed tree.  When given the chance she out runs all of the other dogs and always wins the game of chase.  She is great with all dogs of all shapes and sizes.  She currently lives on a horse farm and is respectful of all the animals here.  However she loves the barn cats so much that when they run she has to chase them.
In the house she is my shadow, she follows me around and is always near by. She does not need to be crated when no one is home.  She knows her manners and will sit and wait for her dinner.
Jett is a great dog waiting for the active family that will make her part of their lives.”

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Updates on the re-homed

September 30, 2015

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Cuervo is loved by his new family in NJ.  He seems to be fitting right in and doing really well.

CuervoCasey is enjoying semi-retirement, as he doesn’t have to do lessons anymore.  His new owner could not be happier with him.  He is best buddy is a grey named Ricochet. The two graze side-by-side, hang out in the same stall, and when one is taken from the other, they whinny and pace to get back together.

image1 image2Bilbo and Frodo are taking their time settling into their new home. They are being a little head strong and skittish for their new owner.  She was having trouble moving them from from one location to the next so she tried a training flag.  They flipped out when they saw it and tried to kill the flag like a dog would.  She said it was pretty funny and she had never seen anything like it. Luckily they have each other because the horses and cats on the farm are scared of them.  Hopefully they all will warm up to each other.

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Welcome Cecilia

April 2, 2015

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Cecilia, she’s taking your heart,
She’s shaking with confidence daily.
Oh Cecilia, she’s down on her knees,
She’s begging you please take her home.

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Looks like the farm is rehabilitating another lost soul.  Cecilia is an owner surrender that we picked up from the SPCA yesterday.

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Here is the write up from her previous foster mom.

Cecelia is a very pretty, active dog.  She loves to play and can jump, but has stayed in her pen.  She will dig under the gate to get to play with the other dogs.  She did OK with cats in the house, but wants to chase them when outdoors with them.  She seems very tolerant and easy-going, but again, on the hyper side.  She needs leash-training as was apparently kept in a pen most of her life. 

Cecelia appears to have had at least one litter of pups.  She was OK when she was in a crate, but does not like to get in it.  She has been outdoors in her foster home

Cecelia and I are still in the getting used to each other phase.  She doesn’t appear to have lived with many rules, boundaries or limitations, but she is quickly learning them here at the farm.  Today we worked on sit for 15 min, she is a smart dog and after we pushed through her stubborn streak she sat!  More work to be done but it was a great break through for us.

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At a little under 40lbs, this 2 year old girl is a petite lab mix (with maybe Whippet?).  We will be working on manners, basic commands, and gaining some weight. Please share her if you  know of anyone looking for a loving friendly dog.

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Welcome Riley!

October 4, 2014

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On Saturday we adopted Riley a Flat-coated Retriever from Critter Cavalery Rescue.  V__A918

These are the pictures from when we picked him up. We were with several other adoption families who meet at the drop off point.  The dogs were transported from Tennessee to just outside Allentown, PA.

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He is 3 years old and 70 lbs.  Riley has spent the last 2 years of his life in foster care.  He was living on a horse farm so he was already used to horses, sheep, cats and good with kids. We thought he would be the perfect fit for our farm and are thrilled his foster mom thought the same about us!  This was this life before he came to us.

He is such a good boy! With in a few hours of being on the farm we were able to trust him to stay around and not have to use the leash any more.  He comes when he is called.  He loves his ears, chest and belly scratched.  He is polite and has manners.  He does not beg for food while we are eating. He gets along well with Piper. Here are his pics of his first few days with us.

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