Want cool, calm and collected dogs?…. try clicker training!

It is amazing what a few minutes of clicker training does to create calm, cool, collected and peaceful dogs! The picture speaks for itself! No begging, no stealing, just happy peaceful pups! And yes there are five of them… waiting patiently!

Felix finds his calling in life!

Felix spent his first day in his new home and got right to work! He oversaw a wedding rehearsal sitting in the Bishop’s chair with his blanket! This awesome dog is going to bring a lot of sunshine to his new congregation! Another outstanding home! Sorry no pics from the chair… the humans were a little busy.

Dodger checks in!

Alicia sent word from Dodger today! He is happy and very much enjoying life! Seems like luck finally found Dodger and gave him the home he was looking for! He is very loved and very wanted now and that makes us very happy!

 

Sir Forest the Duke of Hycliff is searching for a fairy tale home!

Sir Forest the Duke of Hycliff was on the run for over 100 days. He foraged out of garbage cans, eluded capture and even managed to cause someone to fall into the river during that time. This boy is the stuff legends were made out of. Forest is almost two years old and has lived most of his life feral. In his younger days he was fast, agile and extremely cunning. The culprit that took this bad boy down and eventually led to his capture was smaller than a dime. Forest was bit by a tick somewhere along the way setting in motion a disease that for dogs is easy to diagnose, easy to cure but deadly if left untreated. Over time Forest lost his muscle tone, his ability to walk and run and became one very sick dog. Jefferson County Dog Control located him in an abandoned barn and brought him into their facility. No one quite understood how Forest could go from a high energy sprinter to almost paralyzed. Lack of quality food, frigid temperatures and possible hip dysplasia seemed to be the answer. Weighing in at approximately 50 lbs, Forest was gaining weight and health slowly. Having exhausted all of their resources, Forest came to TFDC to finish his rehabilitation.

A visit to Animal Doctors and a routine Lyme/Heartworm test revealed a hidden secret. Forest had Lyme disease and it was taking a huge toll on him. Dr. Nina Harff prescribed medication and within a few days, Forest was acting like a young pup again. He continued his treatment for thirty days and made huge gains in strength and mobility. He continued to gain weight and was healthy enough to undergo his neuter operation last week. Forest weighs in at 80 lbs and has another twenty or so to gain. He is diagnosed with hip dysplasia and will need continued medical care to stay on top of this issue.

Forest takes a while to warm up to a new person but when he establishes a trust and bond with a human it is deep and lasting. He loves being around his people, playing chase with his Kong and going for walks. He is great off leash (with a trusted human) and reliably recalls. He is intensely curious and wants to have his nose in and on everything. This dog has an effervescent personality and will bring a ton of love, hope and happiness into someone’s life. He is good with cats, although given the opportunity loves to instigate trouble and then make it appear like he is minding his own business.

He is very particular with what dogs he likes and does not like. He does not appear to like unneutered male dogs.

Forest has a very good sense of right and wrong and works hard to police any injustice in his environment. Because of this he needs to be in a household that has experience with dogs and positive based training methods. He has no food or toy possessiveness but will resource guard people that he has bonded with. He is easily redirected but would need someone willing to pay attention to the signs and signals present.

We do not recommend Forest to any family with children as Forest will need one on one attention to help him overcome the issues that come along with feral dogs as well as his medical and social needs. He needs a human who is laced with patience, love, understanding, discipline and time. He will require a person with the financial resources to be able to afford his medical care, a person who is willing to put time into continuing his rehabilitation and training, and someone willing to love him for who he is.   

 

 

Felix and Peanut visit the bank!

Felix and Peanut visited the bank today while we finalized the loan. Peanut pranced around with Beth as if she had been there her whole life! Felix was the serious one and sat quietly to help make sure the loan was processed accordingly. Then it was off to Animal Doctors to check the microchip. Everything  is in working order!

Felix leaves for his new home!

  Anne and Jerry came out today and took Felix home! They left here to go to A Barker’s Dozen to outfit Felix with a new harness and other essentials! We are very excited for Felix, Anne and Jerry! We cannot wait to hear about the all the adventures! This match had a little divine intervention… of that we are sure!

How could we forget to post Relay for Life?

Rusty and Felix attended Relay for life last Friday night! Rusty was right at home soaking up all the attention and being an absolute angel! Felix was content to sit on laps and play the role of lap warmer. These dogs are perfect examples of how clicker training improves relationships, calms dogs and gives them the confidence to enter different situations and behave accordingly.

Rusty, Peanut and Felix stay current on their immunizations

Shannon donated her time today to update Rusty, Peanut and Felix on their distemper/parvo shots. Felix braved the big needle for his microchipping and all without protest. This was followed by heartworm preventative and advantix for all. Thanks to Shannon for coming out on such short notice! Rusty has his neuter next week and will be microchipped at that time. Peanut has completed all of her medical and is waiting for a loving family to find her! Felix will be spending the day with us tomorrow running errands and then will be going to his new home. He will be missed but we couldn’t ask for a better, more loving place for him to go!

Rusty takes a long walk with his new person!

Rusty spent the morning with his new person! After a peaceful walk through the woods and pastures and a short training session, Rusty decided it was nap time! Zachary, his new person, will be picking him up after all his medical is completed in July. Rusty’s run of bad luck has just turned into a four leaf clover! This is one deserving dog!

Felix and Peanut do the Maze!

Felix and Peanut attended the 2nd Yappy hour. This one was held  at Mazeland in Alexandria Bay! Peanut had a blast working her way through the maze while Felix gave up about halfway through and opted to be carried. Both had a great time socializing with the other dogs and eating the extra hot dogs and hamburgers afterward!

Felix meets his new family

Felix had a chance to meet with his new family today! It was obvious that Felix approved of Jerry and Anne! We had a great visit and Felix made himself right at home snuggled up to Jerry! As soon as Felix’s medical is complete he will be moving on to his new family! We are very excited for him!

Felix, Peanut and Rusty go to Pawfest!

Felix, Peanut and Rusty were on their best behavior today showing off their manners, intelligence and irresistibility! Rusty and Peanut did two clicker demonstrations and despite having only having a few ten minute training sessions under their belt both performed like superstars. Rusty and Felix found potential adopters! We will be following up this week to see how that works out. Overall an outstanding day with a ton of great dog people! Yippee for dog friendly events!

Please welcome our newest arrivals! Felix, Sophie and Rusty

Felix is quite the snuggly old man. He is a fox terrier mix. His age is unknown but is estimated to be around 7 or 8. He is looking for a chaos free home. He would like someone who has an available lap to cuddle on. He would be content to snuggle someone while they read a book, watch TV or simply sitting outside watching the world. Although he does fine alone in the house or in his crate, he prefers to have companionship. He likes to have his stuffed Kong or bone to chew on. Felix does fine with cats. He does well with other dogs but does try to police their activities. He gets cold easily and enjoys snuggling in blankets with a person. A home without small children is preferred. Felix is housetrained and neutered. He is almost ready for a new home and is awaiting a microchip. Felix is sponsored by Beth Augustus.

 

Sophie aka Peanut is a daschund, basset hound, jack russell type mix. She is believed to be a year old. She is spayed, micro chipped and almost ready for a new home. She has a vet appointment on Friday the 12th of June. She is a sweet and loving dog. She is wary around strangers. She loves to play and can play rough. She is not recommended for a home with small children. Sophie is a victim of animal cruelty and needs a home that is understanding of that. She gets along with both dogs and cats.  Sophie likes to chase toys, interact with people she knows and snuggle. She is very generous with kisses once she gets to know you. Sophie needs to be introduced to new people and situations gradually so she can regain her trust of people and unfamiliar situations. Sophie is housetrained and crate trained. Sophie is sponsored by Molly Outwater.

Rusty aka the Moose Krosky lost his home due to violent crime. He is a mellow, loving dog who enjoys being around people and other dogs. He is good with cats. He has spent the last six months in a kennel so he is adjusting to being in a home again. Rusty is possibly a lab/Chesapeake/ something mix. Rusty appears to be good with kids. He has a vet appointment on Friday, the 12th of June. He will be ready to go after he is neutered and micro chipped. Rusty is sponsored by Colleen O’Neill.

Dodger finds a place to help him realize his full potential!

Dodger really lucked out this time! Dodger found a home where he will be able to continue to grow and learn. The fairy tale ending where Dodger goes on and becomes a therapy dog, assisting people in need is finally coming true for him. His search for the perfect human to love him, challenge him intellectually and keep his mind active and stimulated has been successful! Stay tuned for future updates on his story!

Cocoa finds two high energy kids to love!

Cocoa found two kids filled with energy, laughter and fun to play with. She plans on spending nights snuggled and days playing ball in the yard. Cocoa has a camp to swim at and another dog to play with! Life is treating Cocoa pretty good!