Belaaaaaaaaated Snicker's update!

So it's been a few months since Snickers was adopted and I had yet to post his update, I was going to at the time but my internets were down and I never quite got around to it... but here I am with a new foster dog and being a slave to chronological order cannot post him without the long awaited Snickers wrap up! 

My man Snickers is now a Brooklynite.  Adopted by a super nice couple who were looking for big personality in a small sexy package.  They had made the trek from Crown Heights to Washington Heights a few days before and had gotten to know him a little, and as soon as I brought him to their apartment you could tell he felt right at home and totally knew that he was with his new folks.  He was my longest foster to date and I was really really happy to see how relaxed he was with them right away... sigh...

checking out his new Pop

He never got to play fetch at home since Pasha was such an obnoxious ball hog... and he has a jealous kitty brother;)

Update from his Momma Shelley, a few weeks after the adoption, bonus points to them for doing the work to make scrappy Snickers a solid citizen!

-He's doing awesome! He's the perfect size and temperament for us. :) We both really, really love him, he's a little doll. He's totally cool with new people in a controlled environment, he met our friends last weekend and had no growls, snarls or snaps at them, though I made sure they plied him with plenty of kibble. ;) He checked out A-OK with the vet, and she owns a pair of chis herself so I know he's in good hands. :) He adores playing fetch and even started playing with the small plush toy that came with his bed, which makes me really happy! He totally ignored it his first week here, but then my husband approached him with it after he'd settled in a bit and now he loves to fetch and shake the snot out of it. :) 

He loves walks and we try our best to tire him out, but he has a lot of energy. ;) We walked him to the slope last weekend, and this weekend I hope we can take him to a dog park--he comes when called but I don't know if I trust him enough off-leash yet... he likes to curl up on my lap when I'm working on paintings, and he's almost always beside myself or my husband when we're home. 

We want to enroll him in training classes, and socialization with other dogs is a big effort we have to make! He has been barking a lot at other dogs on the street, and I think that stems from being alone with the cat. Ah, on that note we fended off his separation anxiety by feeding him with kong-style toys in the morning. Keeps him busy and distracted until we come home. :) He's a wonderful little companion, thank you for being such a good doggy-mom to him while he was in your care!

I still can't believe someone was rotten enough to abandon such a little angel.

Meagan and Ben are the BEST!

I have been getting frequent updates since yesterday afternoon from Edwina/Dingo/now Bronx's adoptive parents Meagan and Ben!  Thanks for making the adoption so painless you guys!

A few reports and pictures of everyone's favorite pup and her new fam (keep 'em coming, we love this stuff!)!

Hey,
The dogs are getting along great. We tied a long rope to edwina's collar and let her run on the beach with Rush and a few other neighborhood dogs. They had a great time getting muddy and chasing sticks. The cat is friendly to Edwina,  purring and chasing her tail. Sometimes Edwina gets too excited from the attention and the cat swats her. We are more worried about the cat hurting Edwina now! Ben is taking both pups to the pet store to pick up a few things (Edwina prefers chewie toys and Rush prefers squeaky toys!) and then bringing them to the big Portland dog park.
We will send more pictures! I'm a bad photographer so Ben is taking over!

as promised, morning walks on the beach!

Hey,

The first day has been great! Rush and Edwina have been cuddly all day, they have had a few quarrels but that is to be expected. We have nicknamed Edwina, Bronx, because she is a city-dog. She is getting along much better with the cat, but sometimes she does corner her.  The cat can't be too upset because she will buzz Edwina's legs while Edwina is eating! I attached a picture of the pups eating and the cat stealing Edwina's food.

Edwina met a bunch of neighborhood dogs, including the dreaded Popcorn! We also introduced her to everyone at our local pet store, dog park and video store. She has been a great hit and everyone loves her!

My friend lives in NYC and has a husky he rescued a few years ago and has been looking for a cattle dog mix. He is teasing us about stealing the only cattle dog mix in NYC so if you foster another one, he would be a great candidate!

looking like they've known each other all their lives;)

How many spots do you think they have between them??  

and kitty makes 3!  I'm thinking she'll be the boss of the house...

That went well! (thank goodness...)

Today was the day I had been dreading for a week!  THEY CAME FOR HER.  Thankfully the anticipation of it was so much worse the the reality.

Meagan, Ben and Rush (their pup, a cattle dog mix!) from Orchard Beach Maine contacted us about a week ago with a really sweet email of interest.  Later a lengthy phone call, lots of questions from us both and then the formalities of adoption forms, reference checks etc... and they were accepted!  In the meantime Edwina and I had really been bonding making the handoff loom pretty large, I'll admit to some serious second thoughts, it's scary and unnatural to give your dog away and at some point I had started to consider her MY dog!   But the new situation was tooooo good and the final decision was made and stuck to.

This morning Ben and Meagan drove down from Maine with Edwina's new "sister" Rush and introductions were made, doggie romper room in the lobby, toy snatching in my apartment and the 4 of them becoming acquainted.  By the time we made it up to the dog run they looked like a family and the dogs were playing/tormenting each other like real sisters!

meet her new family:)

speckled twosome.

the sounds that are coming out of these 2...

Ben and Meagan have generously promised many updates, pics and perhaps a video or 2 which I will be happy to post (her NY/NJ friends will miss her and be glad to know what she's getting up too!).  I am sooo glad they were my first adoption experience, can't imagine feeling more confident that a dog was in good hands.  Thanks you guys! 

the little family, plus a cat at home, Edwina will have a new kitty to love.

happily ever after!  sigh....

ALREADY an update from the road!  perhaps it was my tears and trembly chin? 

 anyway you guys are the nicest!

 "they are sharing a rawhide munchie and cuddling.  Thanks for letting us adopt such a sweet dog!"-Meagan and Ben

The big picture.

After two weeks on petfinder.com we have several REALLY promising adoption applicants(!!!), ideal non-urban situations for Miss Edwina complete with doggie brothers/sisters and the great outdoors, exactly what I was hoping for (and secretly dreading)!  

My friends first foster pup Ruby was adopted last week by a great family with great kids and a yard and still Jess was crushed, you want to find them the perfect home but when you do...well that means they leave your home, and for the unseasoned foster mom that means mini-heartbreak.  The thought of it makes me misty, and it will probably take a few dogs to adjust to my new role of halfway house.  Hopefully the people who adopt our dogs will fortify us with some heartwarming "after" pictures/updates of the pooches living the good life in their forever home, that would make letting go so much easier!

If you are neutral or indifferent to dogs you probably wouldn't sign up to foster, and if you love dogs and want to help them out it can be tricky to modulate your affection and act solely as caregiver, dogs are easy to love and connect with and that will probably mean attachment every time... Darn you Edwina, couldn't you have been less lovable and awesome?!  But when Edwina is adopted that means a space opens in my apartment for a new foster pup, another dog is off death row and a space is free in a shelter, so more furry lives are saved.  That's the big picture, the little picture is the sweet doggie face I've been waking up next to for the last 2 weeks...

She snores a little;)