Beagle-Mania!!!

Tuesday I pulled an 8 month old Beagle puppy from the Euthanasia list at ACC to foster for http://poshpetsrescue.org/, sadly little Ernie (formerly Tony) was about to meet his maker but was spared last minute and is the newest "Fosteroni" up in Washington Heights, abusing and being abused by resident doggie Pasha;)  When Linda told me there was a dog we could save from the "euth list" I was super excited, until she said it was a Beagle... SO LOUD! SO NAUGHTY! SO STUBBORN! TOO SMART! also too cute, but so so LOUD.  I took comfort in the knowledge that there are legions of Beagle fans out there and Ernie is cute as heck so I figured this would be an in-and-out foster and after meeting him I'm willing to put up with anything for a few weeks to spare his tiny butt!

Saying goodbye to the folks who were nice to him at ACC!

we stopped at the dog run for a little freedom on the way home from the pound, lots of pent up energy!

The first day Ernie acted like a loon, but who wouldn't be after being sprung from the clink!  Zoomies around the dog run, zoomies around the apartment, jumping baby gates and counter surfing and the omg the HOWLING!!! holy crap, holy crap, angry neighbors and eviction any minute! and the potty situation... 5 walks that day and he only wanted to go potty inside, sometimes immediately after coming inside from a long walk, didn't seem to a user of wee pads either.

munching on bones in his crate.

we've added some comfy towels since then to cozy up the crate and hide some kibble in;)

the whole crew.

this is pretty much what they would do constantly if they were not physically separated.

To get Ernie even more adoptable I'm concentrating on the 2 most troublesome issues first, the howling (he does this when left alone in another room) and the housebreaking.  Pasha has a ton of food dispensing toys and Ernie really took to them and has a really great attention span, and now like Pasha is crazy excited to see them come out!  He gets both meals in a food toys in his crate and that keeps him busy and quiet for awhile and then I guess he takes a nap cuz I don't hear the toys being moved around and I also don't hear little Ernie;)

can you believe this was his first exposure to his Busy Buddy toy, Ernie's a dog genius;)

  

We kinda have a rhythm now, wake up, walk and dog run (did I mention he has been accident free for 2 days? yes, he goes potty outside now and gets lots of cookies for doing so) Ernie and Pasha get their breakfast in a food toy, Ernie is fed in his crate and chills out for and hour or two, then insane play session, then back to crate with a bone or cookie toy, more play, more crate, more walk, more play, dinner in crate and on and on!  I think it's working pretty well, he's not complaining about being in his crate at all today and it's only day 4:)  I think crate training is a valuable tool but of course the goal is to prepare him to be left alone at times in a larger space or the whole apartment/house and to have some things he likes to do (that he's allowed to do!) so he doesn't get in trouble by playing in trash cans etc when his folks aren't home;)  This way he's working his big brain on the food toys and then burning up the puppy energy with the wrestling and learning to be alone and gnaw on a bone while thinking about chasing bunnies, hopefully this sort of foundation combined with actual obedience training (I don't think he's even been trained to sit yet much less anything else) will keep him a happy (and reasonably quiet) Beagle.

So far so good!  he seems to be developing some good hobbies (bones, food toys) that will keep him quiet and more importantly busy and stimulated, and I bet one day he will be an expert at "Find it!" use his crazy hound nose to find cookies around the house and hidden objects etc... perfect Beagle fun:)

Note on Ernie (so far, stay tuned for updates!):

1. Maybe not quite housebroken but working towards it, I am hopeful;)

2. Walks nicely on the leash, curious about dogs and people we pass. Sometimes he sees a person or a dog he's interested in and just stares wistfully at them as they walk away.... sigh.

3. No food aggression.

4. He seemed to have a little "separation anxiety" when he first got here, of course it's hard to say since he had just come out of the shelter and was in a new place with new people.  Everyday he seems better and calmer and quieter and I have a feeling with enough exercise and busy toys/bones this won't be a problem, having doggie company probably helps a lot too.

5. Doggy company? YES PLEASE!  he loves my dog and I'd love to see him go to a home with another playful dog so they can wear each other out and snuggle afterwards;)

6. Other animals? curious about the cat, he has been batted on the nose a few times and is learning polite kitty boundaries.  Ignores my birds which is a surprise considering he is a Beagle after all.

7. Destructive? Hard to say? he is still pretty young and in full puppyhood and I do see a little mouthing here and there, I'm pretty sure at this stage he would definitely get  his little self into trouble if left alone as far as jumping on counters and sticking his face in the trash so I have never left him in another room unsupervised or uncrated and have no plans too;)

8.  Likes the car and was well behaved in the backseat with Pasha!

9.  Due to a little Kennel cough he has not yet been neutered but is scheduled for this Wednesday.

10.  I'm not usually a Beagle fan but I am an Ernie fan!  The little guy needs a home with folks who understand a Beagles hardwired needs/drives and can give him an outlet for that to keep him happy and balanced!  he also needs an education and lots of firm, gentle, consistent, leadership and I'm pretty sure you'll have a happy little buddy in Ernie;)  he couldn't be more lovable!

The fox and the hound;)  gotta love his smile!

to fill out an application for Ernie go to http://poshpetsrescue.org/adoptadog/ernie/

General Beagle info from  http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com a site I check when I get a foster dog who is a recognizable breed, has some helpful info and can help you choose an appropriate dog for your lifestyle and training abilities.  Here are some things you should know if you are one of the uninitiated, and some things you will chuckle about if you are in the know;)

Beagle Temperament
What's Good About 'Em,
What's Bad About 'Em

Beagles are conveniently-sized, handsome and easy-to-groom, friendly with people, peaceful with other pets, and with their appealing soulful expression, it's perfectly natural that many people consider them as potentially wonderful pets.

However, Beagles were developed as hunting dogs and they have many hunting dog behaviors "hardwired" into their genes.

Beagles need much more exercise than most people give them, which is why you see so many fat Beagles with health problems. Though they're often kept in city apartments or condos, they should not be. Beagles require long frequent walks and a fenced yard where they can stretch their legs off-leash -- FENCED because Beagles are explorers and chasers who will follow their nose wherever that fascinating sight or smell takes them, and since Beagles are endowed with selective deafness, they seldom come back when you call them.

In addition, you can't leave them outside unmonitored, for Beagles are prone to wanderlust and can be adept climbers and diggers. Also, Beagles left outside become bored and then they bay and howl and dig holes.

The Beagle's vast stubbornness and distractability call for early, consistent obedience training. Use food rewards to motivate him, but don't indulge too much or you'll end up with that portly Beagle I mentioned earlier. A Beagle is often found with his head buried in the garbage and he will cheerfully filch whatever morsels you leave within reach!

f you want a dog who...

• Is conveniently-sized, sturdy, and athletic
• Is completely natural in appearance
• Has a short easy-care coat
• Loves exercise, play, and outdoor activities
• Is good-natured and peaceful with everyone

A Beagle may be right for you.

If you don't want to deal with...

• An extremely careful search to find good-tempered lines
• Providing a goodly amount of exercise, not just a couple of walks around the block
• Destructiveness when bored or not exercised enough
• An independent "what's in it for me?" attitude -- can be obstinate
• Keeping him on-leash or securely fenced
• Controlling baying and howling
• Slowness to housebreak
• Moderate to heavy shedding
• A distinctive doggy odor
• Concerns about a lot of potential health problems in the breed

Meet Schnickerrrs!

This morning I picked up my very first foster since I adopted the last one, a little Chihuahua named Snickers!  I don't have much info on him except that he is 4 or 5 and fixed (I should have the rest later on).  He's been here with us all afternoon and is still a little unsure of his new situation, but occasionally he forgets that and sits on my lap or starts to play, then he remembers to growl a little ;)  the growling is just noise and he never makes any actual contact.  What a goober, I give him 3 days before he's playing with me and snuggled up to Pasha!

the little guy!  

He looks like a bat and a teddy bear had a baby;)

Cuatro!

Foster dog numba 4 is here:)  I've been waiting all day for my special delivery and she arrived around five and already less than 2 hours in I'm in love!  I'm calling her Pasha, and she's been wiggly and kissy and super outgoing from the second they let her out of the van, I was worried for nothing!

What we know/don't know:

1. Found as a stray found tied to a fence on 2/16, nice...

2. Breed?  Rottie mix? Shepherd mix? who knows, who cares she's lovable and gorgeous:)
1 1/2 years old, 42lbs.  Fixed, vaccinated.

3. Barely noticed my cat, no big deal to her, the cat was not too excited to see another giant dog though;)  I'll keep them separated for a bit but I'm not expecting a problem.

4. Personality! We have another sweetie! she's kissy and a "lapdog" lots of dog smiles, friendly and plays well with others, she already had a little play session at the dog run, plays fetch with the ball AND sometimes brings it back.  She's alright on the leash, pulls a little but nothing terrible.  Sits for food, shakes, jumps on the couch when invited ;)  plays with toys and is at this moment chomping on a bone in her crate with the door open, no wait, she just brought it over to chew next to me under the desk:)  she is relaxed and already at home here.

That's all I know so far, she seems super sweet, well mannered and playful, somebody will be lucky to adopt her but I'm definitely going to enjoy her in the meantime!

Meet Pasha (originally Linda)!

Pretty in pink at the dog run.  I'll add videos of her amazing doggie social skills next time!

For information on Pasha email me at aprilkelly4377@gmail.com or call 917 374-3260

How's Miss Minnie doing?

I've had Minnie for a little over a week and I'm really loving her (I have a soft spot for the peanuts)!  I'm only on my 3rd foster dog here but it seems that it takes at least a few days to have any idea of what these guys are really like, they've been through some things and are naturally cautious or frightened so the personality doesn't always reveal itself right away.  Minnie came home with me the day she was spayed (super uncomfortable I'm sure!) and with the standard issue case of Kennel Cough, definitely under the weather, now a week later I don't think she's sore any longer and the Kennel Cough seems to be easing up.  So what are we seeing??  She's very sweet with me, a born snuggler!  and she's starting to get more playful, wriggly wrestling sessions:)  but very cautious with strangers, I've had 2 visitors this week and she nervously growled and barked at them when they came in, and periodically while they were here, but in both cases no one reacted much (except me telling her no) and by the end of the visit she was curiously sniffing them and more relaxed, allowing herself to be pet a little.  Also happy to report she's pretty quiet in the apartment, when she starts barking I tell her no a few times and she does settles down quickly.

Hiiiii!  My name's Minnie!

Notes on Minnie:

What we know:

1. 2 year old female miniature pinscher, 8.5 lbs, spayed, vaccinated.

2. Found on the street in the Bronx.

3. Not reliably house trained or paper trained.

4. Little nervous around strangers.

5. Trustworthy in the house, hasn't chewed up anything.

6. She's a serious snuggle bug, would happily lay on your lap all day, or make a little blanket nest.

7. Very alert and curious, she checks everything out!

8. Starting to learn sit, little bit at a time but it's a start.  Also usually come's when called.

9. She's very affectionate with me now, wants to be on the lap and be luvved up, throws me a few kisses  now and again:)

10. Not food aggressive.

I call this her "silly face" :)

and her lovely profile...

What might need a little work:

Let me preface this section my mentioning "Small Dog Syndrome" which folks who are looking into getting a small dog should be aware of.  Simply put it's a tendency to become fearful mini-tyrants if not treated, trained, and socialized as you would a larger dog.  I'm talking about growling at people, trembling with fear, jumping all over the place, peeing wherever they like for a few examples.  I love this website, it really goes into details and spells out what to look for and how to prevent problems, also another site to fill you in on min-pin personality traits good and bad!

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/articles/smalltoydogs.htm

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/miniaturepinschers.html

Our Minnie is doing pretty well for a small dog as far as I've seen, she's not too yappy/whiny, seems calm in the house, walks pretty well on the leash, has never bit me!  There are things I haven't been able to assess so far and those are how she does with other dogs (hasn't been going outside with the freezing weather) and I'd like a better idea of how she is with people, when she is recovered from her cold and has grown back her bald spots from surgery we may venture out to stores and peoples houses to see how she reacts out in the world outside my apartment.  At the moment she is basically a house cat confined to a small area for potty training, not so fun for either of us but necessary, no one wants to adopt a dog who pees everywhere!

1.  Since she is so small I have made a point of really manhandling her (after we established some trust of course).  I play with her with my hands all over her face and ears, and am always rubbing her all over her whole body, her lips and nose, check her teeth etc... if this is happily going on at playtime she is less likely to feel threatened when you need to check something for real.  Not sure how well she'd take it from a stranger yet but it's a start to desensitizing her.  She's started seeking out "wrestling" sessions:)

2.  Potty training (see earlier posts for this drama) "notorious house breaking difficulties" indeed!

3.  Socializing!  she is a little nervous with strangers in the house and barks at people when she's outside on leash, an effort will need to be made so that she really likes people/dogs (honestly she's been indoors with me so much that I can't yet assess the extent of this...) She's so small that if she is friendly she can go everywhere with you, my 7lb Maltese Lulu was the life of the party and was welcome everywhere and was rarely left at home, she hiked, she swam she went to BBQ's and was spoiled by everyone!  it's worth the time to do this, how awful for a dog to be a shut-in because they are too frightened/aggressive to be out in the world.

4.  Cat's? not sure she can be trusted yet with cats, she does like to chase mine...  If she went to a house with a cat I'm sure they'd eventually work it out but I'd keep an eye on them in the beginning.  (haha, check out cat/minnie video in an earlier post)

5.  Barking.  She's really not that bad!  and when she starts up it's totally appropriate, something is happening in the hallway or there's an unusual noise, if I tell her "no" and "shush" she does quickly quiet down, and if she goes over to the door I shuffle her backwards and tell her no.  Not a problem now but something to keep an eye on.

6. Growling.  I've seen this from her a few times if she's comfy on the couch and you want to move her or pick her up.  Also when a visitor she didn't know tryed to pet her while she was resting on the couch she growled.  Hasn't growled at me recently but the last time she did I kept my hand there and talked to her, she never snapped at me.  Now I purposely disturb her once in awhile when she's in her spot to check on this and to make sure she isn't too possessive of her space.

7. Biting.  She play bites while playing sometimes, hardly any pressure at all! and if you make a loud "puppy yip" she instantly stops:)  good girl Minnie!

8. Can't say whether she likes kids or not but she's sooo tiny that I think better to go to a home with no kids or older/super gentle kids.  Those tiny chicken bone legs of hers make me so nervous!  if a little kids ever fell on her...

snuggled up in her favorite spot!

look at those sweet eyes!

Minnie is such a sweet little girl and I'd love to see her in a home where the owners took the time to really socialize her so she could be out and about and enjoying the world and other doggies.  She needs lots of love and snuggle time as well as some very firm/gentle leadership to avoid the "brat-trap" that so many little ones can fall into!

Still figuring this one out...

So this is my second day with little Minnie and she is still not quite herself, and by that I mean not totally relaxed and at home.  She is recovering from the spay surgery so we've been keeping her in the crate mostly and because her belly is shaved she gets cold really quickly when she goes out for a squirt, even with her fleece jacket.  At the moment I am just waiting and watching for her real personality, I think she likes me ok and am hoping in a few days she'll be feeling safe and happy here (and a little less sore poor thing)!  Getting her appetite back though and no vomiting today at all, she got my bed pretty good last night!

snug as a bug.

She seems interested in me and comes over willingly but is still a little reserved and seems a kind of stiff and trembly when being pet, can't tell if she's cold or nervous!  Unless she doesn't speak English I don't think she was trained at all, not even to sit for treats, but she does walk well on the leash and comes when called.  It's hard when you are first getting to know each other because you're not using their real name (she's a stray, we have no idea what her owners called her) and you don't know their history at all!  She's good with the food bowl but growled a little when I pet her while she had her bone, although she would let me take it away, also growled a little when I tried to move her last night, we'll see if that persists when she gets to trust me a little more, she's a good girl but may have been a little spoiled like many tiny dogs!  Pretty quiet in the house, little warning hruffs at the people in the hall but not really a yapper!

I can't wait to see her really happy again, she has such a sweet little face!

Here comes trouble!

So Sphinx is home with me now and holy cow I hadn't realized he was mid puppyhood, only 7 months old!  I'm not complaining, this is gonna be fun (I haven't had a silly puppy in at least 7 years) I can't think of a better way to beat those winter blues!  Edwina was only a few months older but somehow seemed so much wiser (and more coordinated!), perhaps it was the teen pregnancy, she probably had to grow up fast.  Anyway, this one has "GIANT GOOFBALL" in neon lights flashing over his head with cartoon hearts around it,  he is a big clumsy softy with big ol' puppy feet!


What we know/don't know:

1. Nothing about his story, I think he was from the Baltimore shelter as well, no idea how he ended up there.

2.  Breed? our best guess is Lab/Boxer etc... and when I look at his profile and build I'm wondering if he's not a part Irish Setter or something like that, anyway he's a kitchen sink mutt and he's gonna be pretty big!  He sure is handsome though, poster dog for big brown puppy dog eyes with extra long fringy lashes!

3. Personality, happy, happy, happy (!!!) sweet, sweet, sweet!  loves everybody and is not stingy with his kisses!  Also I'm told he gets along great with other critters (I saw the "sleeping with kittens photo" with my own eyes!) and he was curious but polite with my cat Josie, and we're going to the dog run later, maybe I'll get some doggie relations footage!

Introducing Sphinx the giant puppy!

(after being here an hour or so he mellowed right out, chill pup indeed!)

Sitting for cookies, you gotta start somewhere;)

More later, we're just getting to know each other!

ok, it's a little later and we've been to the dog run.  Video proof of excellent doggie social skills!

Woo hoo!! he's a joiner! 

and a ball dog (you gotta learn to hand it over buddy;) )

Inauspicious beginnings...

A few months ago I got it into my head that fostering dogs would be a good idea, a half measure between being dogless and a dog owner again. My dog Lulu died suddenly last spring and I have been missing her in particular and dogs in general.  Dogs can be a burden, you can't go anywhere, you have to run home after work, it's hard to find an apartment with a dog, there are lots of reasons not to have one but despite the inconvenience you cannot deny how much they add to life (you know, if you're a dog person).  Since April I have been dog free and it has not been an improvement, on grumpy days there is no doggy silliness to combat bad moods, I've gotten fat from not walking enough, my floors are unnaturally clean, and when I have to drive to Maryland I am traveling solo, perhaps a foster dog could be the remedy.

Introducing Edwina, my first official foster dog.  This is what I've been told: under one year old, dog and people friendly, might be ok with cats, had a litter of puppies (mommy nipples!) and was brought up from a shelter in Baltimore, don't know how she ended up there.  Really really wanted a small dog to foster, someone easily contained when necessary (house breaking etc...), small poops, wee wee pad for the occasions I may be gone longer than a bladder should last, and if they bite it's stitches not plastic surgery. But I came a little late to the adoption/foster party and the pee-wees were taken, so home we go with a 35lb Australian Shepherd/Cattle Dog (not sure what she is, looks like a cross of those but with a leaner frame?).

where  am I and who are you?

under the weather...

Trial by fire! holy shit, explosive liquid diarrhea the first night, splat all over the floor (in my BRAND NEW apartment!), pee running across the uneven floors... and the dog didn't have much personality, I had lost the foster dog sweepstakes.  So it's oatmeal and chicken/rice to bind her up, please PLEASE work.  Oatmeal is a miracle!  2 days of oatmeal and pedialyte and miss Edwina is bright eyed and diarrhea free.  So it turns out she is not a dull spiritless dog, hard for a girl to put her best foot forward when she has diarrhea and is in heat (getting spayed soon), not to mention being shuffled around from place to place.

almost back to normal!

From what I've read this breed is cautious and really smart, they are working dogs and bred to be capable of independent thought.  She's been watching and assessing and slowly making up her mind, sometimes sitting near me, I'd get a wag here and there but certainly not the shameless doggie affection, silliness and bottomless kisses I'm used to.  But this morning I got a smooch on the face so thats a start!


For information on Edwina please call 917 374-3260