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Piper’s New Home

April 24, 2016

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As you may know Piper is getting up there.  She is almost all the way blind in her one eye (the other eye was surgically removed a few years ago), she has arthritis in her back end (she has a pin in there from a previous injury. She is also now experiencing muscle atrophy around her head.

With all of these these geriatric issues I just knew she could not handle a cross country trip. So I started figuring out what to do with her. As I mentioned in a previous post Otis’ new owners agreed to take her on as their own.  Which was a true blessing and such a relief to know she would be going to a good home where she would know one of the dogs.

So the Sunday one week before selling the farm (and exactly one month after Otis left) Travis and I did the three hour trip each way to drop her off. For us it was like a pre-road trip to see how we would do.  It went fine and Riley came with us for the ride.

When we got there we received a big welcome and met Piper’s other furry family members.  It was so good to see Otis. It was the first time I every had the opportunity to see any of my foster’s in their new home.  He looked so good and happy.

We checked out their back yard and I snapped some pictures.

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Piper is enjoying her retirement.  She is getting spoiled with treats and visits to the grooming salon.

10 days ago I heard from her new owner and she had lost of good things to report.

JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW PIPER IS DOING GREAT. LOVES HER WALKS.

 

SHE LOVES TO BE PETTED AND GETS ALONG WELL WITH THE OTHER DOGS.

OTIS IS KEEPING US ON OUR TOES. WE REALLY HAVE TO KEEP OUR SHOES AND REMOTES OUT OF REACH. WE LEARNED THE HARD WAY.

OTIS GOES TO THE BODY SHOP FOR FOUR HOURS A DAY. HE JUST SITS AND STARES AT THE CAT. HE LISTENS SO WELL . FRED TOOK HIM A WALK AROUND THE LAKE LAST NIGHT AND TWO GIRLS STOPPED AND HUGGED HIM AT TWO DIFFERENT TIMES. HE JUST LOVES EVERYONE.

OUR VETS KNOW HIM BY NOW JUST CAUSE I WORRY. HE GOT A REMOTE AND FRED COULDN’T FIND THE BATTERY SO WE WENT FOR AN X-RAY. A COUPLE OTHER CHECKS FOR ME. HE JUST GOES IN AND JUMPS UP AND LICKS EVERYONE. THEY ALWAYS BRING HIM BACK LAUGHING AT HIM.  HE GOES EVERYWHERE WITH FRED. HE ALWAYS WANTED A DOG TO RIDE IN THE TRUCK WITH HIM.

HOPE YOU MOVE WENT WELL.THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING US WITH YOUR FUR BABIES.

TAKE CARE

 

What’s Happening

March 27, 2016

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So it has been a while since my last post.  I am so crazy busy with trying to go from a 10 acre farm full of stuff to a 2 bedroom condo.  That is a lot of stuff to find a new home for.

I grateful for my Saturday morning rides.  At least I am getting on once or twice a week to clear my head.  I seem to be taking more pictures lately.  I think I am trying to capture memories as my next life will be quite different.

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Recently I proclaimed my personal hash tag to be #neveradullmoment.  The Farm never lets me down on that one.  So I go out to the barn to feed after work to fine George and Heather in the wrong pasture by the main barn.  IMG_1205The gate was busted open into George and heather’s pasture.

Warlock was in Heather’s stall. Strange scenario. IMG_1207Not sure how or why one of the three main barn horses broke the gate latch and opened the gate between them.IMG_1206

My Parents are in town for Easter and to help with the packing and sorting.  This past Saturday was another beautiful day for horsie selfies and my mom came out to say hi.

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Other good news… Otis found a great home!  He is going to be a spoiled rotten fur baby for a wonderful couple.

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We were telling them about Piper and how she is doing great but has basically lost her vision and hearing from old age. I had made the hard decision that it would not be fair to take her across country.  I was thinking she maybe too old to find a new home for and there are not many people willing to take on an old lady. Otis’ new family asked to meet her and said they would be willing to take her if I can’t find a local home for her.  I feel such a sense of relief.  Of all the good I have done fostering dogs this past year has come back to me 10 fold.  Karma!

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!

 

 

Sad to see Sadie go

February 19, 2016

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A couple of weeks ago I picked up Lizabeth as my latest foster dog.  She is a beautiful and sweet 4 year old Germans Shepard.IMG_0885

After meeting her and seeing her beautiful coat I promptly renamed her Sadie.  Unfortunately she also came to me sick, by Sunday she had a high fever and what seemed to be an Urinary tract infection.IMG_0888

But she was also a trooper, hanging out with me and trying to keep up.  I took her to the vet who could not really figure out what was going on with her. I was sent home with fluids for Subcutaneous Infusion and 3 different kinds of antibiotics.  Well something worked because she bounced back really quickly.

She is one of the funniest and smartest fosters I have had yet. The first time I had to leave I left her loose in the house.  This is what I came home to:

Well, this and 2 pee spots.  But she took 4 of my slipper type of shoes out of my closet and arranged them on the couch and chair.  After that she was in the crate when I left.  She was so good about the crate that yesterday as I was getting ready to leave she was ready to get in the crate all on her own (with out me asking).

She also got along great with Riley. This is them playing in the snow.

She is so awesome that she almost because my first foster failure.IMG_0900

BUT I couldn’t have 3 dogs and her new family is also awesome.  They came and picked her up today.  Sadie, who might now be called Lilith, is going to live with 2 other Shepards and their humans at their home in a state park in New York.

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The picture sequence came out cute because she was in between mid scratch, mid yawn and mid licking her chops post yawn.

Good luck Sadie, Riley already misses you, but that is ok he is getting a new foster brother tomorrow.  #NeveraDullMoment

Happy New Year

January 6, 2016

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Them: How was your Holidays.

Me: Great! I went home to Miami

Them: Oh that must have been nice

Me:  It was. I was in a tank top and shorts the whole time.  It was actually hot especially when the AC went out on the bedroom

Them: It was warm here too. Shorts and t shirt weather on Christmas day!

This weather is so strange.  I usually like to go to Florida to defrost but not this year, the cold weather didn’t arrive until I got back.  Brrr.  But not complaining it is nice to get a break.

So for some updates… it has been a month since my last post.

Dogs:

Noah Kinzer went to a great family in New York.  He is loved by 2 little boys and will do great in his forever home.

I have a new temporary foster.  Sebastian/Jack/Buddy.  The rescue calls him Sebastian.  His new adoptive parents are going to call him Jack or JD for Jack Daniels because he came from Tennessee.  I have given him the nick name Buddy.  He is a very sweet 4 year old beagle mix.  Great in the house, with my dogs, potty trained and so easy going.  I will have him for a total of a week as I am meeting his new family in Delaware on Saturday.

Piper completely tore her ACL.  She is such a sweet old lady and a trooper.  We are managing it medically with pain killers and supplements.  It has been about a month and she is starting to improve, using the leg more and getting around a little better.

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Riley enjoyed our hike on the day we dropped off Kinzer.  He is such a love.

Horses:

I finally got on Warlock.  We took it easy, maybe too easy.  He definitely was testing me. At one point he just stopped, decided he wasn’t going to move forward any more.  But we worked through it and eventually he got the idea that moving as I asked him was better than not.

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He is such a cool horse.  He helps me every time I do barn work.  He helps me his latest trick is to pick up the wheel barrow by the handle.  He has yet to dump it out on me.

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We are down to 5 horses at the farm.  Izzy left while I was on vacation. It is so much easier having only 5 horses.  They all have in and out access to the pastures so with 3 in the main barn the barn work goes quick.  Which is great going into winter as on those cold mornings and evenings we want to minimize our time out there.

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.

 

 

Doggy Stopgap continues

November 21, 2015

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I just can’t say no…

Meet Kinzer

He is a 2 year old Dachshund mix.  A great dog!  He is so low key and quiet.  He is already off leash on the farm.  Just sticks around and comes when he is called.  He gets along great with Piper and Riley; in fact he has already been found sharing a doggy bed with them.

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Spec went to a great family on Thursday evening.  They are loving every min of him.  He is never leaves the little girl’s side.

Friday night I got the call the Kinzer’s adoption fell through but he was already on the transport van.  So Candace called, email and texted me.  Yes she got a hold of me and I went to the transport van meeting spot at 8:15 am.

Please share this to find this handsome boy a forever 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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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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