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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

 

Apple Jacks’ Leaving Day

April 22, 2016

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Last but not least Apple goes to his new farm.

Apple was rescued from the auction lot in New Jersey.  He came to us like the other rescues, not knowing a thing about him. It took us a while to discover what an amazing trail horse he is.  He has to lead but he is a fearless leader. Nothing spooked him and he would go through or over anything I asked.

One time we were riding through our friend’s woods and got turned around as to the direction we needed to go to get back to the barn.  I gave Apple his head and he guided us out; without a second thought we were back on the trail.

Apple as been half leased for over a year now by an amazing kid. She started doing lessons with me and gradually got so good that she was doing lessons on Apple. It was love at first ride.  Apple is a little speed rocket in the ring.  Just the challenge she needed.

So her family agreed to buy Apple from me when I finally sold the farm.  This day came in April.  I had other plans that Friday evening so could not be there.  This is what her mom sent me with the leaving day pics.

Hey there! A few pictures for you from Apple’s move day yesterday. Sorry we missed you, but also understand you not really wanting to be there. He did well. A slight hesitation in his step just before getting into the trailer, but after that, he walked right in and made the trip down the road just fine. We stayed at the new farm with him for a couple hours last night, and then Lauren was right back there at 9am this morning to make sure all was well. He has some good friends already, including another appaloosa! So far so good!

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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!

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.

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.

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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Riley the happiest dog on the planet

May 20, 2015

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Riley is the official ‘welcome wagging’ of the farm.  He greets everyone with the same enthusiasm and love.  He runs up to them, starts the happy whining, flops on his back and doesn’t want the attention to stop.

Usually he stays at the farm during my trail rides.  Last week I brought him along.  He loved it!  Now I have to admit he wasn’t the best trail dog.  He wandered off too far into the woods, then when he went to find and catch up with us he took a wrong turn.  I told him to use your nose buddy.  Shadow my previous trial dog would always find me.  But I digress…  all was well with Riley we saw him running the wrong way and he came right back to us when we shouted to him.  “Wrong way Riley we are over here!”

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The next trial ride he didn’t want to go through the gate right away but I could hear him barking as we were leaving “what about mee?”.  So we went on the trial ride. About 3/4 of the way through he come bound up behind us.  I guess his nose worked this time.  He was so overheated from this run around the field that he jumped into the horses water trough when we got back.

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I entered one of these photos into the dirty dog contest.  If you get a chance click on this link and like his photo so he can win.  Click here to like Riley’s photo! It should open with this picture in a pop up window and all you have to do is click like and share if you are so inclined.

Thanks!

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