Bella gets her own yard

Patrick spent Thursday fencing a separate yard for Bella. It has taken a while for Bella to recover from being in a kennel for over four months. She is alert and active at meal times now and waits patiently but with excitement for her food. She asks to go outside now and shows interest in things happening around her.

She has a high prey drive and is not good with cats or small animals such as ferrets, birds, guinea pigs. She gets along great with some of the dogs here on a one to one basis and other dogs she takes an instant dislike to. She would do well as an only pet or with one other low key dog. Bella would be perfect for someone looking for a dog that likes to spend time around humans but doesn't need constant attention. She is content to be in the same room sleeping or watching. She is very much a people dog but does not need a great deal of doting attention. She does like to be petted and talked to but does not make any demands.

Bella spent time outside today in her new dog yard. She gets along well with the other dogs when they are in neighboring yards and even takes comfort in being able to see them. She enjoys time outside but does not like to be left outside alone. Because of her high prey drive and great nose she needs a fenced yard and supervision.

She deserves to be loved and to have a person she can call her own. If you are that person, drop an email to come see her.

Bella's visit to the vet

Bella visited the vet on Monday. Her heartworm, lyme test was negative. She had an ear culture done which came back negative for any infections. Her check up went well. She weighed in at 56 lbs. The vet looked at her growth and said it could be removed during the spay. The estimated cost of the spay and the removal of the growth (the discounted rate) is $186. She returns for her spay on Oct 29th. Bella is approximately 5 years old.

Bella opens her eyes to a new world

We knew Bella had finally settled in and was starting to come back to Earth this morning. Normally we follow a set routine but today we decided to get up at the normal time, let the dogs out and feed them and then go back to bed for some extra zzzzz's until 9 am. Bella came to the realization that things were different this morning and let us know by a deep sad bark. Patrick got up and turned the television on for her and put her stuffed animals on the couch. That made her happy.

Now that she is feeling more secure, we decided to start her on walks away from the house. Instead of shrinking away from the experience she embraced it. She was like a young puppy again experiencing new sights and sounds. For us it was a breath of fresh air to see the transformation. We are excited to see her progress toward her full potential. She is the best of both worlds. Perfectly happy to be a couch potato and watch life unfold in the house and exuberant as a puppy to go for a new adventure. She expects nothing but is grateful for what comes her way.

 

Play time

Sweet Bella playing with the outlaw, Molly. Bella plays by the rules while Molly breaks all the rules. Molly will stare straight into another dog's eyes, sit on the other dog and climb all over them. Yet all the dogs tolerate and even invite it.

 

Bella takes a moment to have a heart to heart with Molly.

Pound dogs

We are planning on pulling another dog out of the pound after the open house there on Nov. 2. This is generally a big adoption day for them. It is much easier for dogs to make one transition to a new home then to have to re transition several times. Mable is the next dog on our list to come here.  That in itself is sad. Mable is an older dog who would adjust very well to a new home without rehabilitation. She has not gotten adopted because well... she is old. She has gray on her muzzle and maybe doesn't have that cute puppy look. She does however, have a lot of love to give and needs a family that is willing to give that to her. If you are looking for a dog consider her. She is available and waiting at the pound. Check her out.

During our visit to the pound this week there were a number of dogs that we would have loved to be able to work with. Dogs who through no fault of their own are in lockup. These dogs are lovable, people oriented and looking for someone responsible and willing to provide a safe and stable home. Take a moment and check them out. It will be well worth your time.

If you know of anyone that wants to sponsor a dog have them contact us.

Update on Kelly

Check out Kelly's feedback comments on www.thefosterdogchronicles.com 

We couldn't be happier with his progress and the incredible way his adoptive family has worked with him and transitioned him. We have been incredibly lucky in finding our dogs homes where they are loved and loved back. We would rather keep a dog for months than have the wrong person adopt and have the dog suffer once again. We are thankful for all of our adoptive families and grateful that they found a place in their hearts for these wonderful dogs.

Bella's World

Bella has had a slow transition here. She is a very well behaved dog, housebroken, quiet and reserved. She doesn't demand attention or ask for it in any way. She is open to being petted and loved when she is approached inside. Bella is still very nervous outside and is spooked easily by sudden movement or noise. She comes at a full trot when she is called. This is quite an honor as a full trot is the fastest we have seen from this dog. Her happiest times are when she is inside on the dog bed. She loves to sit on her haunches and watch.

 

She does get along with other dogs but does not have the self confidence in herself if the other dog confronts her or tries to play. She does growl when she becomes anxious with the other dogs which sends the pack balance a little out of kilter. Bella does much better one on one with dogs than in a group of dogs. She does get very excited when she sees a cat or ferret. She will bark/howl until a human comes to remove the animal from her sight. She is exposed to cats on a daily basis and has not shown any aggression toward them but at this point we aren't recommending that she live with a cat.

 

Bella was microchipped last week. She is very appropriate with shots and medical treatment. She has her vet appointment this coming Monday and her spay is scheduled for the end of October.

She is doing better on stairs. She is much better going up stairs than down. She is very tentative and appears to have a fear of falling down them.

This is one dog who would be content with a person who had a sedentary lifestyle. She likes to go out and relieve herself about three times a day and is very happy to come straight back and hang out on her dog bed. She is low maintenance, low key and is perfect for someone who wants an inside companion.

She has not shown any interest in toys. She has a couple stuffed animals she cuddles with and sometimes likes to chew softly on a bone. 

Four More Paws!

Kelly has found a great family and home. We are very happy for him and his new family. He is also getting two boys for best friends. They took their time to get to know Kelly and let Kelly get to know them.

We wish you all the best!

 

Stay tuned for more...Bella aka Brandy looking for a home.

Is that my new owners coming?

Kelly sure loves car rides

Not sure if the picture quite captures the fun Kelly has while going

out for a little social time with other dogs and a car ride to get there.

Stay tuned for our latest charmer

We picked up Bella (aka Brandy) from the pound yesterday. She has been a resident  there since June. She was picked up as a stray in the Town of Rodman and nobody claimed her. Every time we visited this sweet dog she was always in the front of her cage wagging her tail and eager to please. Unfortunately for Bella she had two growths on her thighs that caused people to overlook her outstanding personality and focus on her flaw. She was taken to the Farmer's market several times but couldn't seem to find her new family. Bella is laid back and calm inside. She loves to lie down and put her nose up to your face and then rest her head on your arm.

 

She is quiet, reserved and housebroken. She is afraid of stairs and cowers if you move to quickly near her. She will come to when you call her but will either sink to the ground or try to slither away ducking close to the ground when you reach for her collar. We will be working on those issues. At the moment though she appears to need a little TLC, quiet time and space to regroup. We will be calling tomorrow to arrange her vet appointment and to have her growths evaluated. If anyone is interested in sponsoring her medical needs so that we can keep her adoption fee reasonable let us know.

Her bail was posted by Dr. Melissa Rice. We were very much relieved as Bella had been in the pound for over three months. The staff at our local pound is outstanding. But it is a long time for a dog to be kept in confinement. We are grateful and appreciative though of the love and care the dogs receive during their stay. Check back and watch how Bella blossoms in the next few weeks.