First email post: Joy Update 6-19-2011

Joy has had a fabulous first week and a 1/2 here in the Rowe house!  She and Ori are getting along just fine.  We stopped gating Joy last weekend and the two of them are great.  O keeps trying to get Joy to play but so far, not much luck. We couldn't find the girls yesterday night...they were both snuggled up in Ori's crate!  It was past their bedtime I guess! It's hard to believe it's been less than 2 weeks as she fits the routine so fabulously already.

Joy was at the vet on Monday; overall positive news.  Both patellas are fine.  Her front left leg looks like either she was born like that or the radius grew longer than is should have when she was a puppy or there was a fracture along her wrist a while back. (she called it an "angular limb deformity") There was no indication of anything "crunchy" or recent trauma according to Dr. Ford.  Everything appeared to be healed and Joy did not indicate any pain.  She was such a good girl at the vet.  People doted on her saying how cute she is and of course I told them about NEBTR and to fill out an application if they were serious about her.

The largest area of concern is the ulcer on her right eye.  It looks like an ulcer but didn't stain like a classic ulcer would.  So we've treating it with an antibiotic drop and eye lubricant drops for the past week.  No major changes in the eye but Joy is a heck of a lot better about me putting drops in her eye now than she was the first few days.  She hasn't been squinting or tearing up so as of now, she doesn't appear to be in pain.  We're trying to treat in just in case it happened recently and to see if it can heal over any better.  I am going to call the vet early this week to see if there are any other options to heal the eye any more.

At a stout 29lbs at the vet.  We're hoping to help "tubby" lose at least 4-5 pounds!

She's just been a great joy around here.  Ori and she have been good buds.  The right home is out there for her somewhere!  Fill out an app if you're interested!  We just finished her petfinder app.  It will be posted soon!  

Meet Joy- our newest foster!

 

Joy is here safe and sound!  She's an 8 year old owner surrender from the York SPCA.  She was apparently surrendered twice now and was originally a mill girl.  Poor girl can't seem to get a break.  She is fluffy to say the least but is definitely living up to her name since she arrived (A whole 2 hrs ago).  She knows her name so we'll be keeping it for sure.  She and O briefly said hello through the gate and everything was ok.  Nick and I just got back from walking the girls and no issues so far there.  She walked well and has been doing her business outside like she's housebroken.  We're hopeful!
 

We are taking things slowly and not looking to integrate the 2 any time soon.  Joy is quiet and seems fairly content in the kitchen.  If my gut is right I think the girls will leave each other alone.  Not testing that theory yet.  She is a wiggly girl.  She loves people and she already rolls over for belly rubs!


The shelter vaccinated the heck out of her just before they released her to Nick (He picked her up on his way home from work.)  I have the detox supplement that I used for O last year and I've already started giving that to her to help move everything out of her system.

Our plan is to make a vet appt for her as soon as possible since there was talk from the last owner surrender of broken bones and/or patella issues.  She seems to be walking ok, but I don't want to mess around with potential broken bones (I don't understand that story but that's another discussion.)  Hopefully we can get her in on Monday when I have the day off.

She's quite the sweetie.  She's been resting in the kitchen quite comfortably.  I didn't realize how much I missed the fostering scene.  Either that or our break was much needed and now we're ready for another adventure!  Either way, I'm hopeful we can help this little one find her way to her permanent home for good this time : )

So this is what it feels like...

....to make hard decisions. 

Apparently Ori is barking when we are not home.  I stood outside the door this morning and listened.  Within 3 minutes she was barking (she had to get the peanutbutter out of the kong first.)  Nick came back 30min later, still barking.  He put her in the back in the crate (to lessen the sound) and left early this afternoon.  3 hrs later I came home, still barking.  This time a bit more frantic (she couldn't see Molly.)  This is not the only reason, but it is kind of the deal breaker.  We want to do everything we can to be responsible doggie parents and right now we do feel it is a disservice to both dogs to keep her here...yes these decisions are being made quickly but not without a lot of thought.  Given the time parameters we have to work with, decisions need to be made...

There are lots of really great reasons to keep this little gem to ourselves.  If I start the list, I'll never finish...  The stress I felt today about making this decision and trying to work through her barking was excessive.  We live in an apartment where barking dogs are a luxury not to be afforded (if we want to stay on good terms with our neighbors and landlord!)  She only barks when we're not home...that makes reconditioning rather difficult.  She may outgrow it or eventually not need to be crated after she's potty trained, but we can't take that risk.  My mother really put everything in perspective this evening and as soon as she said it out loud, an inner peace returned.  When I shared with Nick the same thoughts he said the same thing I said "I don't want to hear this, but I have a peace about what was said."  I prayed earlier today that we would have a clear answer about this and that both of us would be on the same page.  Thank you for the clear answer.

The plan the entire time was for her to be transported this weekend up to NY with Elly.  Elly runs a kennel and is home with the dogs most of the time.  She'll be in really good hands.  We need to stick with that plan.  Ori is young and has a beautiful disposition and face.  She is going to find a good home with a great family...unfortunately it's not going to be ours.  We do have the distinct pleasure of taking care of her this week and taking her out to potty outside and cleaning up inside more times than I care to count! Have I mentioned I think she's going into heat?!?! ahhh yeah....that's 1 area I have NO experience with whatsoever!

So the transport will continue on Saturday as planned.  Nick will bring her out on the first leg of the journey while Linds and I are in class in Virginia.

I still maintain that the right old gal or guy is out there waiting to retire with us.  And in the meantime we continue to enjoy the journey and our time with beautiful Miss Moo and whatever friends come along the way.  More on Miss Moo and snuggly Ori too to follow...

Ori day 2

So many thoughts and emotions with and about this little girl!  She appears to be crating very well.  A small bark/whine at the beginning, but we've been firm with "QUIET" and she settles after that.  It's not an anxious cry/bark but more of a "hey! I'm in here!" kinda thing.  She tries the same type of thing when she wants to follow Molly back into the apartment but she hasn't peed yet.  I correct her and we move along and she is fine.  The last thing I want to do is create an opportunity for separation anxiety.   The neighbors said they didn't hear anything this morning/afternoon when she and Molly were home alone.  (YAY!)

We're working on the housebreaking.  Poor Nick.  I took her out this morning to pee before I left at 7 and between 7 and 7:20 she peed 3 more times (that's even with being taken out twice.)  I do think she has a UTI so we're trying to keep all that in mind too. (vet appt is scheduled, but of course not as soon as I want it to be!)  We figure if we use the same key words and don't let her back inside until after she pees she'll get it pretty quickly.  She appears to be a fast learner at everything else.  We're taking her out every hour and treating with hotdog and lots of praise.  Molly's a good model too : )

Already she's walking on a leash so much more nicely.   She loves to watch the cars go by when we're out back (usually waiting for her to PEE!) The 4 of us went around the apartments again this evening.  She works so hard to move.  We figure her leg was lopped off and since she lived in a cage she never figured out how to balance and move her body quite right.  She does fine on it, but we are convinced that over time it will become more "natural."  These dogs never cease to amaze me.

She's taken to laying on the couch.  She won't lay on the umteen dog beds on the floor, but she paws up at the couch.  Of course Moo lays on the couch so if we're using her as the model it's ok for Ori to be on the couch too.  She snuggles with Molly and every time I turn around she has her head resting on Nick's leg and they both look as pleased as punch.

You can't tell from the pictures, but I do think she's a tad on the thick side.  I can't find her ribs which is weird, but true.  She hasn't been eating all of the food we've been feeding her and we haven't been pushing the issue.  Ori has started drinking from a water bowl which is fabulous!  No food aggression from either girls (Ori shared a bite from Molly's dish tonight....)  She does have a mammary tumor which I'm hoping we can have removed when she gets spayed.  She looks like she's been bred and bred and bred though...poor girl still rolls over for a belly rub though.  Her teeth don't look bad either.

I've already learned a few things about a 3-legged dog.  1) You can't lift up the front leg to move the leash or she falls on her face.  (oops!) 2)  Chewing on a bone becomes much more complicated that it is for a 4 legged dog, but it is possible!  3) laying down appears to be more comfortable than sitting.

Nick has already started teaching her sit and while I was getting dinner ready tonight for the girls I turn around and sure enough Ori's sitting!  She's a smart little girl.  Smart, smart, smart.  She makes little noises like Tink did and she had me looking a few times for my little heart dog last night.  Her sighs and exhales sound the same if that makes any sense.

I can't believe how much has happened, how much we've all learned, and how far things have come in 1 day.  Is it possible?  Can it stay like this?  I'm currently here with Ori in my lap as I type this.  Somehow it seems like she knows that's what it's here for...and that's where she belongs....

Ori the Mill Mama is here

Meet Ori, our temporary foster.  I picked her up from Sparky's Project who literally pulled her from the mill 1/2 hr before I got her.   After a minor anxiety attack with her barking, we pulled it together and got our acts together.  (God is soooo good, let me tell you!) Elly listened to me and gave some good advice as did Jodi and Sandy and here we are everyone quiet and settled.  Ori (short for Oreals) is an almost 4 year old puppy mill girl which means she's done nothing but push out puppies her entire life.  The miller was afraid she would get fined for having a dog with 3 legs and needed her out ASAP which is where Sparky's Project and NEBTR stepped in.

 

As you can see she's missing her front right leg.  It doesn't slow her down very much.  She supposedly injured it in a dog fight and it was amputated as a result.

 

She's slightly front heave which does cause her to fall onto her front leg more often.

She has a really beautiful face, if should would hold still long enough for me to get a picture of it!

She's here for the week and then is being transported to another volunteer in NY.

I did give her a bath when we first got here just cause she was so dirty and I wanted to get any bugs out of her.  She's still kinda stinky but much better.  She has a bit of shine to her coat.  She is quiet in her crate and we will use that to our advantage at night and when we're not home.  She has a real zest for life and for exploring and likes that there is another dog around.  She's doing better on a leash already and actually walked around the block with me, Nick and Molly tonight (hot dog helped...)  She seems to relish the warm weather and grass and I think her original darting was actually a bit of excitement.  She did well following Molly and I know that she will be a good model for Ori.   She's peed a total of 3 times outside (big praise : ) and 2x's in the kitchen and twice in the living room... after our walk...  She's eaten 2 small meals of turkey and rice.  After speaking with Sandy this evening, we did let Molly and Ori officially meet and have allowed Ori to explore the house a bit.  She romps around and has even sniffed at the toy box and attempted to chew on a bone. Molly could actually care less that she is here.

She's a real sweetie and I think once she figures out the routine she'll be less confused/anxious and will do just fine for the week. We'll see how it goes tomorrow when she and Moo are left alone for a few hours.... : )

Never a dull moment around here!  But man am I tired....

Oh Miss Moo....

So apparently the eye ointment isn't supposed to make her eye more red and puffy initially.  It seems she may be allergic to the carrier ointment.  Poor Molly and poor Dr. Haver.  He said he keeps trying but can't seem to find something that will work for her!  We stopped her ointment since yesterday evening but Molly's forgetful Mom forgot to call the doc again today...first thing in the morning!  her eye certainly looks better than it did before we started using the ointment, but it's certainly not where we want it to be yet.

I came home to a poopy/vomity mess by the front door... I'm not sure what caused it, but it's possible her new bone was partly to blame.  She just laid on the couch and didn't even follow me into the kitchen when I came home initially.  She did eat 1/2 rations for dinner tonight and everything came out ok on our walk this evening.  Thank God for vinegar and the steam cleaner.  Our carpet is not the worse for the wear although it is quite the rude house warming gift.  Oh miss Moo....please feel better soon.

Aside from tonight's events she still continues to look very good weight wise, skin and coat wise.  She's been drinking and eating normal amounts and is displaying very few Cushinoid symptoms....hopefully the Cushex is helping and it will stay this way!

More good news rescue wise.  Duke and Dutchess were 2 fosters that were adopted together this afternoon!!!  Yay!!!

We live in a Zoo...

Yeah for Apple Airport express and wireless internet that works : )

So Madison has been slowly acclimating over here.  She's a cutie but skittish.  I make a quick movement and she cowers or runs...poor girl.  Already improvement since saturday though. Oh and according to vet records she's 7.5 rather than 9.5 years.  That makes more sense looking at her and seeing how she acts.  She and Molly are pretty good with each other except in the middle room.  Madison apparently claimed that space as hers (she spent sat afternoon in there with me while I sewed her a coat and a new bed...) and now she doesn't like Molly coming near her in there...

Which now means Molly and Madison are suddenly vying for my attention...I have 2 little shadows following me around now (instead of none...which is weird, but ok).  I've been home sick the past 2 days which has been nice to transition Madison into our home.  Both girls woke up around 5:30am this morning...took them out then we had 2 girls in bed snuggling.  Madison snuggled up in my arms for the next 2 hrs...it was really nice (until I felt incredible sick which wasn't so nice)

I found 2 fleas last night and have declared all out war...complete with chemical warfare (which most of you know how much I hate chemicals!)  I spent a good portion of the day vacuuming, cleaning, spraying, doing laundry in hot water, dusting with DE, etc etc etc.  Molly got a bath and Madison was dusted with DE (she was given a bath late last night and 1 of the 2 fleas found was removed).  All seems better now.  We have a steam cleaner on the way (thank you amazon) so we can continue to clean clean clean more naturally and stop the nastiness!!!

Molly's explosiveness is getting better.  I spent a long time on the phone with NEBTR's resident nutritionist and together we developed a plan to help miss Moo out.  Fortunately her home cooked diet is pretty much right on.  Going to simplify the veggies and add rice or oatmeal to every meal.  I may be feeding her too much, so we're feeding her slightly less and shocking I know, she's pooping less too.  We'll be adding some Slippery Elm (as soon as I get out of the house again) to help her digestive track.  Because of the continuing diarrhea, Dr. Haver has taken Molly off the trilostane until everything settles (without the use of the flagyl I'm assuming...we're slowly taking her off that.)  I have a supplement coming specifically for the Cushings, cushex which I'm hoping helps at least a tiny bit.  We may end up using a lower dose of trilostane 2x/day rather than a larger dose once daily.  Best case scenario this supplement helps enough that she needs even less (or no) drug.  That would be fabulous but I'm not counting on it.

Anyways, all that to say Moo only spent 1 night in the kitchen and has been doing well since Sunday's last explosion...good thing she's cute.

We've realized that Molly is all business.  She has her routine, she knows what to do and when to do it so she does it.  Madison on the other hand is not all business.  She runs around when we try to put her coat on.  Molly stands there, nose to the door ready to go.

They're really cute together and I know that in a few weeks Madison is going to be a very different dog.  She doesn't appear to know any basic obedience (except, Madison, Come!).  Working on sit.  She really likes hotdogs, good thing.  She is a jumpy little girl and can be whiny, but turning away or waiting for her to stop and then produce what she wants (treat or ball) and she is catching on quickly.  Oh the joys of rehabing this little girls. 

Madison is here

Here is our first foster of 2010: Madison.  She's a cute little girl, maybe 15-16lbs, 9.5 years old although she doesn't really look it.  She's currently decompressing in our kitchen, nervous and scared.  But all in all a real sweetie.  She's going to be fun to have around for a while.

 Look at the cute little face!

 

She wanted nothing to do with hard cookies or kibble, but definitely ate the ground turkey!!!

 

When do I get outta here guys?!?!

and one of miss Moo Shoo because she's so dang cute!

Molly is being very patient with Madison in her favorite room of the house, the kitchen!  It won't be long before they can interact, but just want to keep everyone safe and give time to get used to the surroundings.  Poor Maddie keeps whining, I hope she settles soon, she's got to be exhausted with all the days events so far!

Macy & Lillian Update 12-5-09

Nick and I called Lillian this morning (since I didn't go to class because of the wintery weather!) Both of them seem to be doing fabulously well! Lillian shared story after story about Macy and just glowed over the phone. As of 2 nights ago, Macy is finally sleeping in bed, but not at the bottom of the bed where she would sleep with us, but next to Lillian near her pillow. Lillian was laughing as she shared this story. The first time Macy went under the covers Lillian was afraid she would asphyxiate but then remembered hearing stories of other dogs doing this and being ok. Mace has also been jumping up on the furniture with Lillian and laying on her lap or right next to her, perfectly content.

Lillian is cooking up green beans and carrots and adding them to her meal to help her feel full but not gain any weight. So not only is Macy in great company, she's eating well too : )

They even announced in her church that she got a new dog and the pastor is coming over tomorrow to meet her! Her entire attitude and tone of voice was so strong and happy. She shared how they get the mail together and Macy sits and stays when Lillian doesn't want her to go any further. She sits and waits and then joins her as they go back into the house.

It sounds like they're creating and establishing a great routine and Lillian is adapting and changing it as needed (ie: taking Macy out a little more often as there was 1 wet spot on the floor by the door this week. I'm so glad Lillian realized that taking her out another time was the solution!)

Another fabulous placement for a fabulous dog!

Unfortunately for us, we do miss her over here. Molly still runs down the hallway when we get home to go steal her kong and then comes running back when she realizes what she's doing... but all that aside, we couldn't be any happier for those 2. Here to many happy years for Lillian and Macy!

And then there was one, and only one...

When the alarm went off Friday morning at 5am, I hit the snooze. But at 5:07 I was up and getting ready for our exciting weekend. (Talk about role reversal in our house!) I came back into the bedroom after washing up and counted to 3, 1....2....3! and turned on the light. Nick groaned, Macy burrowed even further under the covers and Molly who was still on her bed looked at me as if to say "are you crazy?!? turn that thing off!"

Nick and I worked together and by 5:45am we were on the road with Macy in her crate in the car and Molly content at home with a kong. The travel was traffic free and uneventful, but exciting as Nick and I were on another adventure together, this time with precious cargo going to a very worthy little old lady.

After spending a few hours with Lillian, we said our good-byes and slipped out the door. Nick and I were dog free for 24 hrs!!! It was a strange feeling. We knew Molly was in good hands at home with Nate (THANK YOU!!) and we had reservations at an amazing B & B in Corning NY, the Hillcrest Manor. Highly recommended!!! What a fabulously perfect place to spend an evening! The house was built in 1890 by a glassware maker. It was bought by Dick and Kyle in 1999 and they spend 2 years furnishing and putting this B & B together, including an original Rembrandt etching, amazing amounts of Steuben glass, and a fabulous collection of paintings. Our room was complete with a fireplace, sitting area, and king size bed. Our private bath included the original sink and double porcelain wall bath tub!!! It was so perfectly divine for an extra long bubble bath! We were asleep by 9:30 and without any doggies whining or pooping in the hallway, we managed to sleep 9 hours undisturbed. perfectly blissful.

This little guy was our door stopper from our bedroom into the hallway that lead to our bathroom...

yes, it's the only thing I took a picture of...
not sure why now that we're home...

Nick and I were hanging around the area and antiquing as we had a 3:30 appointment in frackville to pick up a little 12 year old BT with an eye issue named Belle. A phone call at 11:30 changed all that. Apparently her owner decided to give her to an acquaintance/friend about an hour or so from his house.... I called our intake coordinator and she called him and he was set in his ways with this decision. Needless to say, I was/am crushed. I was so excited about this little girl...I cried right there in the middle of the antique store. It's ok...Nick and I are hoping and praying that this home is a very good one for this little girl. We know that there are plenty of other older dogs that need a home (unfortunately). Our house will have another foster soon enough.

Meanwhile back at our apartment apparently Molly was very clingy when Nate arrived. (poor girl probably felt abandoned...) She was so happy to see us when we arrived home this afternoon. She's snuggled up next to us on the couch and hasn't left our side since we arrived home. I'm glad that she loves us. Maybe she's just learning how to show affection and it's taking some time.... regardless, I was tickled that she was so happy and silly to see us!

All in all, a fabulous weekend. I have the most amazing husband and we go on some pretty great adventures together. I am so thankful for a wonderful weekend with my darling Nick, with Macy in her new home with Lillian, and Molly nestled between Nick and me on the couch for the evening...ahhh, what a wonderful life!

Macy and Lillian, Together at Last!

Nick and I were blessed with the opportunity to be a part of a bigger plan and provide a gift and truly make a difference in someone's life. A little lady in the Finger Lakes region of NY recently lost both her husband and her beloved dog. A dear friend of hers helped her apply to NEBTR and through a series of events, we delivered Macy to Lillian in her home yesterday morning.

Lillian and I spoke on the phone several times before we decided that she wanted Mace and would be a good fit for her. When that decision was made, I believe she was so excited that she was in tears on the other side of the phone. Macy is a beautiful little companion, exactly what Lillian needs and wants.

Nick, Macy, and I left at 5:45 Friday morning to make sure we were there in time. Every little detail was so clearly orchestrated down to the weather and traffic. We arrived ahead of time, much to Lillian's delight. Lillian and Macy hit it off beautifully. We spent almost 2 hours with them talking about Macy and her care. Lillian demonstrated a lot of common sense and flexibility and a desire to get everything just right about Macy complete with a list of questions. I have no doubt that she will be an excellent Mom and companion to Macy.

Macy & her new mom, Lillian

Macy settled in very nicely while we were there. She explore the house (with Nick in tow) while Lillian and I talked and laughed our way through all the paperwork. Macy was pawing at Lillian for more treats in less than 30 minutes and we found her sleeping at Lillian's feet midway through our time there. Lillian was so thrilled; Nick and I were too.


Gail met us at Lillian's and true to Gail's form, she was a great cheerleader for both Lillian and Macy and their new family! It was fabulous. Gail will continue to be a support and help to find/buy some of the things for Mace that can't be bought locally as they live in a pretty rural area.

The whole thing was so beautiful it was hard to be too sad as we left. I cried just a little bit, but Lillian's happiness is so much stronger than my sadness at losing her. There aren't enough moments in our lives where we are given the opportunity to truly make a difference in someone else's life. I hope that Nick and I never miss an opportunity like this again...

I spoke with Lillian around lunch today before we left the Finger Lakes and every thing is going beautifully. Her voice is so much more vibrant that it has been in earlier conversations. She had some questions (what's a k-o-n-g?) and shared that Macy didn't even miss us! (Of course! Nick and I prepared her for over a week. Honestly though, we think she knew. She acted like she knew and settled in much quicker than I anticipated.) She looked up when she finished her bone and seeing no one, she continued along her day. She hasn't sat by the door or looked for us at all. (That was a bittersweet comment) Lillian said to me "she is such a good dog." And I had to agree. No accidents in the house, she "did her business outside this morning" and Lillian shared that Macy refused to jump up in her bed last night. So she brought Macy's bed over next to her bed. I nearly fell over as I couldn't keep Macy out of our bed all night if we tried!!! Nick assured both of us that once Macy get's more comfortable she will most likely jump up in bed, "it only takes once..." which is so true.

We are going to miss her very much....but we know that Macy is in very good hands. She was planning on taking Mace for a car ride (complete with pillows on the front seat so she can see out) and who knows what else today. I let Lillian know that Iwill call her next weekend and check in. "Oh you do that" she said.

What a beautiful ending to this story.

Bath Night & Snuggle Time

So in preparation for the exciting weekend events, the first thing I did was bathe the dogs this evening. They were so cute. They both don't particularly care for baths, but they both endured oh so well. I love soft clean little doggies!!! They had the full spa treatment. Yesterday they had their nails clipped/dremmeled, today was the shampoo, conditioner, blow dried, ears cleaned and sprayed with some neem. Now we're on the couch snuggling oh so contently.

These pictures are from last week. Aren't they cute?

They really do love each other....

My pretty girls

They are often caught trying to sit/lay on one another. Macy thinks nothing of sitting on Molly's head with her big butt. Molly thinks nothing of plopping her body on top of Macy. Meanwhile, Nick and I referee with laughs and "are you kidding me?" comments and looks!

Nick and I are very excited about this Thanksgiving weekend. 4 days together and off from work. Time with family, time away at a B & B, Macy going to her forever home, and now picking up Belle, our newest foster. It's hard to be too sad about Macy leaving because of the cool story she is a part of and because we have another one coming in. I'm already planning for that transition. Continuing to hope and pray that this transition to her new home is all that we think it will be!

Molly & Macy Update

So the girls seem to be friends again for the most part...ok maybe more like sisters with an occasional squabble. Nick and I THINK that Molly is actually trying to play with Macy occasionally but none of us are sure, not even poor Macy! It's funny and we watch closely. Sometimes it's just safer to distract them and "break it up" (ie: walk into the kitchen : )

Molly loves the kong so much. When we come home, she literally books it down the hall and kicks Macy out of her crate so she can get Macy's kong. Macy could care less because she is booking it down the hall in the other direction to get a bone and/or go outside. Silly girls...

Oh so food motivated....
doesn't she look beautiful in her new shirt? I love the yellow on her!

Blanket backdrop. "give me the kong or else lady!"
Molly's been sleeping a bit more on occasion and has definitely been making more noises in the past few weeks. More whining, chicken sounds, even more sounds while sleeping.
She seems ok, but it does make us wonder....

Miss Macy really enjoys chewing on bones over here too. Both girls enjoyed a marrow bone yesterday afternoon (one in the dining room, one in the living room just in case). They both did fine. Molly got a bit goofy at the end when Mace finished hers first, but other than that, a good deal for everyone!

Couch potato! Macy is definitely getting more energy and her spunk is coming through, but she loves the couch! She also loves our bed and has been jumping up more frequently... We crate her at night and used to whine around 6:30am. I'd wait until she stopped whining and then let her out and have her climb into bed for the last hour. Well 6:30 turned into 4:30 and I didn't realize it the first night. The next night it was 2:30. I told her to forget it and rolled over to sleep. Smart little girl!

It amazes me the things that these dogs remember. Macy remembers where she saw every squirrel in the last week. Molly remembers where we put up a bone from 3 days prior, yet she can't go to the right apartment door... They are certainly lots of fun to have around. The weather has been unseasonably warm and Nick and I have been taking advantage of that going for walks together with the girls twice a day, providing we're both around.

Nick and I have been making plans to bring Macy to her forever home the friday after Thanksgiving. Nothing is definite until it's definite, but I'm very excited both for Macy and for the lady that is adopting her. It sounds like a nice fit and I am truly happy for everyone. Her potential new mom lives up in the finger lakes so Nick and I are making plans for an overnight up there. A night away, how fun!!! Hopefully things continue to go smoothly during this process for both Macy and our travels....

I have more pictures to post, but I'll post them throughout the week when I need a break from the rest of life : )

And So It Goes...

So no sooner do I say the girls are getting along, they begin to have these little tiffs. It all started on wed (?) night when Macy pawed up to Nick for attention and Molly sniffed her and then Molly pawed up at Nick for attention and Macy sniffed her...yeah...then they gave each other the hairy eye ball and stared at each other waiting for the other to make the first move. They were kind of goofy but nothing major on Thursday. Friday evening there was a small scuffle. Fortunately for me, both of them fear my voice more than each other and as soon as I got "HEY" outta my mouth they were done. Then Molly sat on the couch sulking and Macy sat on a bed sulking. Blah. Silly girls. They seem to be working it out of their system though.

Macy is coming to life! She is chasing squirrels outside, chewing on bones, and wanting to be more active. She stood watch out on the back deck for 15 min or so this afternoon. She's looking better. Unfortunately due to an initial calculating error, we don't know how much, if any, weight she has lost. All we know is her body is acquiring some shape to it (especially compared to the side pic we took last week.)

Molly is doing ok...we've noticed a small potbelly on her so we're giving her meds to her every day instead of 6 on, 1 off. Her coat isn't as shiny as it has been, but we're working on it. I just hope that her Cushing's is still stabilized and that we're not running into any other complications as a result of it... I really enjoy and love that little girl. We laugh because she is who she is. She can be so aloof and silly with seemingly little brains one moment and then the next she is demonstrating some long term memory! This cracks us up because she still doesn't go to the right apartment door...Anyways, I really enjoy her and her antics. I love that she talks to me in the kitchen.

I have definitely hit another cycle of the grief process over my beautiful little girl. There has been so much going on in friend's lives as well which has just added layers to all of this. My heart feels heavy for so many people. I think of Tink and all that is inside just seems to pour out. I was going through all the dog clothing that we have and was reminded of just how little and wonderful miss Tink was. I came across her red hoodie, the very one that her Godmamma Charli gave her when we picked her up. Sigh, such good memories, but still so fresh and raw.

Christy gave us 2 of Zoey's old coats when she was a puppy. The red sweater actually fits Macy beautifully! Thank you Christy! I'll have to post pictures soon. The tan coat looked like it would fit Moo, but it is just a bit too tight (as usual with most clothing I have for her) in the chest. Go figure.

We've had Macy 1 week now. I gotta start looking through apps and seeing if we can find her forever home and get her rolling. She is going to be a great family dog and may actually have some energy and not only be a couch potato! Maybe YOU would like to fill out an NEBTR app and adopt her!

M & M musings...

...or just my random thoughts about them. First of all, the names Molly and Macy are tongue twisters and I struggle to get the right M sound out at the right time. Second of all their marking are so similar and Macy is moving more quickly that now I can't tell them apart at a quick glance or when I don't have my contacts in. So I confuse the 2 of them all the time in all sorts of ways... it makes for an interesting time for sure : )

Both girls, we're learning, have a lousy sense of direction. We're not sure if it's monkey see monkey do or what, but man, those 2 could get lost in a small closet. What they lack in sense of direction though, they more than make up for in cuteness. I love that both of them are on the couch sprawled out together, sleeping away. Macy snores and it makes me smile (and sometimes cry). She crates up fabulously and is quiet as a church mouse.

We have a vet appt for Macy on Monday and hopefully we can get some minor issues cleared up and taken care of. She's been much more active these past 2 days or so. Walking with energy and continually moving on our walks and running around the house a little bit. Her tummy is starting to tuck in just a bit and I think she's going to trim down with some time. More time than I want, but I know I can't do this too fast. She's certainly not hungry though as she turns down some food options which Molly promptly takes of Macy's paws. She does seem a bit fussy, but I'm ok with that. She doesn't NEED the food for sure.

Molly is such a different type of dog...she reminds me of my Aby in some ways...she's aloof and does things on her own terms. But as a result, she misses out on a lot. She's funny and goofy and she helps us laugh. She's certainly not the brightest crayon in the box, but man she is a special little lady. I know this sounds bad, but at night, when we're going back to bed and all the lights are off, Molly bumps into the walls. The mean part is, I laugh every time.

I love that the 2 of them snuggle in the bed in the morning. We all made it to 7am today and rather than taking them out, I hoisted Macy up into bed and then we slept until 8...Macy under the comforter, Molly on top, and me without any comforter! Macy is so reluctant to get up in the morning...we have a lot in common in the sleep category! It's so hard to wake up when I have a BT who doesn't want to get up either.

Tink was so different from these 2 girls, yet in some ways I can feel parts of her in them. Sometimes it's a fleeting feeling and other times it stays just a while longer. I'm not sure how else to describe it. Sometimes it makes me smile and other times I cry. Molly looks so sad and pathetic when I bawl my eyes out. Macy looks sad too, but almost in a "I know how you feel" kinda way... Tink's legacy continues to live on in our house each day and I am very thankful for that.

More pictures...

I love these 2 little girls together. They appear to love each other already...

Too cute... look at those beautiful eyes!

We realized today that Macy and Molly have similar markings.
Their half white collar on their neck is almost identical with similar blazes and white on their hiney! Nick and I were considering this morning that they could be related... they both came from local pet stores. Their poor mother could have been pushing out puppies for both stores...

Chunky Monkey, but man did she go for a fabulous and energetic walk for the first time this evening! She continues to come more and more alive and active- so wonderful to see!!!

Isn't that a beautiful (and peaceful) face?

I LOVE this picture of the 2 of them!

I took them out at 6:37 this morning and put them both in bed. They literally curled up together and the 4 of us slept in until just before 8 this morning.... I was in heaven! I do smile and feel alive with these 2 little girls in the house. It doesn't take the pain of losing Tink away, but it does remind me of our purpose here on earth....

The right family has gotta be here for Macy some where. Are YOU her forever family?!?! Send in an application to NEBTR today!!!

An M & M Morning

Yesterday morning Nick took some pics of the 2 lovelies on the couch. Molly, as usual, has her nose covered in a blankie.

Aren't they sweet?

Sorry about the blurriness.

Molly reminds me of Tink in this picture.

Molly jumped up into bed about 6 and about 6:30 I heard Macy sniffle and snort in her crate. I know that her bladder isn't quite as strong as Molly's, so I took her out (of course Molly followed). I picked Macy up and put her in bed so we could sleep for another hour. Molly slept on top of the blankets and Macy slept under them. I worked well...for a while. They act like we starve them, so to keep them happy we petted and loved on them. They're both such characters. I was going to say "little" characters, but, you know!

So I finally did feed the girls this morning. I feel like a sous chef in the kitchen. Heating up some green beans to add some bulk to the turkey and rice, boiling some water to warm up the meals, supplements mixed in, Molly gets her home cooked turkey, veggies, rice, sweet potato mixture, just a little bit of fat free cottage cheese on top of the mixtures... (Molly and Nick agree that the fat free stuff doesn't taste so good, but it's better for the fluffy one, I guess!) They both ate peacefully. Macy lets me touch her while she's eating. No problems with any of that.

Currently Mace is on the couch and Molly is sleeping in Macy's bed. It's funny : )

Macy already seems to be walking better. We're getting the longest nails clipped and I think she feels the difference. I can't believe how similar Macy's behaviors are to Molly's. I don't know if it's monkey see, monkey do, but both will drink at the same time, both tilt their heads and sit there together (like they know there is strength in sad looking faces to get food!), and other things too. Both dogs are eating up the attention which is good.

Ok, we gotta walk the dogs, get ready for church and get rolling this morning. Boy do Nick and I love these little older ladies! They are true gems!

Meeet Macy Black

Meet Miss Macy! We picked her up friday evening. What a sad event that was. We brought her back and she was so miserable. We kept her in the kitchen area for the evening as Molly acted as though she wanted to kill her. We walked together, fed them in shifts, then later in the evening opened the gate and let Macy explore while we kept Molly on the couch. Eventually Molly and Mace worked it out and now they seem just fine : )

The beached whale look

Macy in her bed

The ahhh, "fluffy" look

Ok, she's fat, there's no nice way to say that!

But isn't she adorable?!?!

She weighs in at 29 lbs. I figure she needs to loose 5-9 lbs. I have to dig to feel her ribs and her frame is sturdy, but not huge. She's loving the turkey and rice mixture with a bit of cottage cheese but isn't quite impressed with the portions... Her nails are so long that some of them are almost going into her pads : ( I'm managed to cut the worse offenders, of course I bled 1 something fierce (Stupid black evil nail.) She didn't even flinch when it happened. We moved her into the kitchen and had blood all over the place. We'll get the others a little at a time. I figured getting these nails cut is better than the pain that's gotta come from walking on her nails on her pads!

She is such a love. She really loves her Auntie Lindsay. She let her pet her for over 30 min last night and pawing at her if she stopped for more than 1/2 a second! She's crate trained, house trained, good with kids and other dogs....she is really a gently soul, but an old 7. Nick and I have started working our magic. We hope to get her weight down and clean her up in the next few weeks. Lots of walks, going up and down the stairs, good food, and watching treats.... I think she'll be fine!

She came up on the couch last night and rolled over for a belly rub...Nick and I had a good laugh over that while we obliged her! Molly is hanging in there just fine. She was so bent last night and then of course so needy. Then she barked at Macy this morning when I took her out of her crate. Silly girl. She likes her just fine now though.

Do you have the perfect home and heart for the gentle and sweet little girl? Fill out an app with NEBTR today!

Sadness

My heart is sad for so much this evening, I don't know how to clearly articulate much of it. From the people I serve at work to the dogs and people I volunteer for and with... We have so many dogs that need to come into the rescue from a puppymill mama with medical conditions to older ones with little vision, to owner surrenders due to divorce...

I only work the home visit end of things and foster when we can (more on that soon....), but even this side of things has been extra busy, but not necessarily with approved homes. I wish potential adopters would stop and consider all the parts that go together in an all volunteer based rescue. This is a multi-pronged process including applications, reference checks, initial phone calls, home visits, matching the dog to the family, etc etc. Each volunteer works a paying job in addition to the volunteer job. I know that within the home visit side of things, I need to find a local volunteer who returns a phone call or email that is local to the applicant. If that person hasn't done a visit before, there is some training and information sharing on the process. The home visit volunteer is connected with the foster parent for any specific information they might be looking for at the home. This information gets relayed to the board and the foster dog coordinators as best as possible. It can be time consuming and take longer than any of us want it to take.

We had one app that came in and went from application to initial phone call to home visit set up in less than a week and yet that was too long for the family and they withdrew their app. Sigh, but we don't do what we do for applicants like that. We do this for the dogs and for the families that truly want them and are willing to wait a little bit if needed and put the time and energy into the dogs appropriately. Can you imagine an impatient person trying to work with a rescue dog who is trying to adjust (again) to a new home and living environment? Ikes...

My heart is sad for Tink tonight. I get these waves, not as often any more, but they wash over me and at times I can barely breathe at the thought that she is gone forever. The pain feels sharp and is suffocating, but usually just as quickly as it comes, it leaves. I wish like anything that she was snuggled up tight next to me tonight...I'd be rubbing her little velvety ears and smooch her soft little noggin'.

I wanted to get a new rose for her this evening, but was totally side tracked with rescue stuff... tomorrow morning. I want to go and find another beautiful reminder of the beautiful life that was lived. The same beautiful life that will live inside of my heart for as long as I live.

I wasn't this sad all day. I actually had a nice day at work today....nice sessions, time to do some paperwork and planning....Everything came to a point this evening and now I sit here and think which is so incredibly dangerous.

We'll make it through, just taking 1 step at a time (and towards the bedroom to go to sleep!!!)

Nothing's final until it's final

So Binx was picked up by her owners at the Philly shelter yesterday afternoon. No Binx for us. I hope this is the best for Binx. Sheryl assured me that we have plenty of dogs that need to come in... I've got my bid in for one, but I'll refrain from any details until he/she is in our house : )

Jodi may be coming over tonight with her little foster girl Mitzy. There's a good chance I may fall completely in love....we shall see. Either way, it's a great way for Jodi to see how Mitzy interacts with a dog that doesn't play (Molly). It sounds like even though Mitzy's 4, she may do better with an older dog or one that doesn't like to play as much. Hey, i'll take one for the team and spend some time with Mitzy and Jodi (and Wilbs too if we must : ) to figure the darling out.

More later for sure : )