Progressiono

Fog is my 13^th foster dog, they learn so much in such a short time. Today’s blog is about his progress.  Fog has been here for nearly 3 weeks.  In the three weeks, he has learned not to potty in the house, not to counter surf, how to look in the mirror, Barking is fun, where to eat (and that he gets fed regularly), and water is available all the time.  And dog beds are good.  Although he has learned many things, he is still unsure of what is happening. 

There comes a time in every foster dog’s life, when they just get it.  They get into the daily routine, they join in reindeer I mean, dog games, and their actual personality comes out.  In essence, they relax.  Fog still annoys River; although, for all her complaining I think she sorta likes him.  He is learning all her bad habits, but he is also learning Macho’s endearing habits.  Here is the “rest of story”:

Saturday, we took River and Fog to a Meet and Greet, he did ok.  Sunday we left River and Fog at home and went to a Meet and Greet with Ace and Macho.  When we returned, Fog greeted us at the door, as he has been taught by the others, but the exuberance displayed by my dogs when we return is not there.  He is almost just checking to see what is happening, instead of greeting us.  We went out that night, leaving the four dogs alone.

When we returned, there was delight oozing from Fog.  He was a confident, happy boy, yapping and dancing with the others welcoming us home.  Somehow, someone or something clicked with him, and he now understands his new life.  The change is not easy to describe.  I can only describe it as settled and confident. As a foster mom, once you see this change in the foster dog, you know in your heart that the scared, unsure animal is gone, and emerging is a beautiful, wonderful companion pet.  It makes you proud and happy, yet sad. His transformation from racer to retiree is an amazing thing to witness. He now entices River and Macho to play with him.  He gets up at 540 EVERY morning, hoping I remember that he trained me to walk him when the sun comes out.  He tears through the house squeaking toys, and chews on his flip chips any time anywhere.  His playful happy self is emerging.

There are no pictures this week.  He is becoming physically beautiful.  He will always have scars on his nose and sides.  His patchy blond hair is coming out in clumps and is being replaced by nice red fur.  He is itching all over.  His bald thighs are starting to fill in with fur, but he may have partially bald thighs for a long time.  His naked, but oh so soft belly, is starting to get fur.  He loves to be rubbed and scratched, especially where the hair is coming out, or coming in.    Right now he looks awkward, but soon, he will be a beautiful, confident Red dog, afraid of nothing and proudly wearing his battle scars, with really Big feet!

An afternoon with friends

For my friends who think their dogs talk oddly, Fog will be using his dog talk in this blog.

So the ofer day, the lady sdayd home all day.  She said peepl were comin over to play wif me and to meet me.  Soon, Mister Jim  dropped by and it was reele gud to c him.  He petts soo good. He hugs good and rubs me all over lik I am the most best dog ever.  He didn’t stay to vewy long.  I wanted him to stay and play. 

Later 2 ladies brought a cupl of the guys from the race kennel over. these r  the guys that came on the truk wif me. 

Pops

Newton

For sum reesun, we all really like the dog the peepl call Pops.  Pops came with Newton.  Pops said he and Newton live together now.  The ladies were vewy nice.  I had to wear my muzzle, but, so did rivee so I wasn’t the only one. I hear Pops is bein dopted.  I don’t know what that means, but the humans act lik it is a gud thing.  One lady cheked me all over and told my lady wat to do to help me look betr.  Then they talked about my potty problems, it embarrassed me, n front of the guys.  The new lady was vewy loving and wanted me to go home wif her, since pops is bein doptd she cud take me. Then, my lady said I couldn’t go cuz the new lady has cats and litle dogs that live wif her.  I like small animals, a guy can chase them or just eat them. I tink this is y my lady said no.

So the ofers pouted cuz I was getin all the attention.  Macho got peted my the ofer lady, he really likd her. Rivee went to her room, and Ace stayed in the hous.

So the guys were getting bord and Newton wanted to run, so we ran in the yard together, the ofers even joined in the fun. Sinz Rivee had her muzzle on we dint care wat she said.  I dint know I could run in the yard, cuz Rivee dint tell me I could.  She snarls when the ofers run in the yard, so that must be why she dint tell me about running.  I showed the guys my squeaky toys.  They showed their lady they could bark.  Then Newton started playing with my squeakies, and Pops dint.  Newton then found my flip chips. Then we got to eat.  The guys and I got fed in the garage by the man and new lady.  The ofers got fed in the house.  After dinner we all got treats, then the guys had to go home.  It sur was gud to c them agin n hang out with them.  i wonder how the ofer guys are and if they got dopted?

My lady forgot to take pikshurs, so we are postin pictures of me and rivee roaching.  Sum one askd what roaching is, so here is a pic.

Furlough day

Being good Government employees, we have every Monday off without pay for a couple more weeks.   So I decided that last Monday, we should take the dogs to the dog park.  I have read many articles and publications that strongly urge owners to avoid dog parks.  But, this dog park is new and closer than the only other one I know of, in Lakewood, so I figured, let’s give it a try. It is in Grafton, and 10 a.m. on a Monday, it shouldn't be very busy.  So we loaded up the four dogs in the RRB and went to the dog park. 

We figured out how to get in the driveway, parked the bus, gathered the hounds and approached the park.  NO ONE was there but us!  It appeared safe, so we brought the fleet in. After getting all 4 dogs through the first gate, I unlocked the second gate, dropped River and Fogs leashes, reached to help with Ace and Macho when, River and Fog went flying into the dog park!  Ace and Macho were right behind.  Oh what fun, hooray, woohoo.  Wait…Dad is mad, something is wrong…come here? Who?  So they all went to see what Dad was wanting and much to their pleasure, he just wanted to take the leashes off.  Free at last, Free at last, thank God we are free at last.  The pure delight oozed from every inch of their outstretched running bodies.  River in the lead, with Fog hot on her tail, Macho right behind and Ace bringing up the rear.  At the end of the straight away it was Fog in the lead, followed by a body length by Ace, River on the outside, moving up quickly and there is Macho, making a run for the lead.  (I swear I could hear the announcer!)  They were running as fast as their legs would take them, only occasionally checking to see who was winning and maybe, if we were still there. After a mad run around the entire park, (Bill estimates an acre and a half) they took the time to smell, potty and go separate ways to see what there was to see.

  I went to get the water for the dogs from the bus, and two employees of the kennel that is attached to the dog park, came and took pictures and talked with Bill.  Fog discovered the kenneled dogs on the other side of the fence and had a chat with a cockapoo.  After about 20 more minutes of snooping, resting, drinking, they were finished.  You could see the pure joy on their faces as they collapsed in the shady grass area. We gathered our belongings and piled the dogs into the bus. They all immediately laid down and prayed for Air Conditioning.  No one stood up till we were nearly home.  They seem much more relaxed now.  The dog park was just what they needed.   AND we made their facebook page: Forever Friends Pet Care Center and Hospital

"Greyhound Bus" comes to Forever Friend's Dog Park!

Discovery

Hi FOG here.  I have been with these people for 2 weeks now, and this is what I have discovered:

Food, food is good and she feeds ME twice a day.  She feeds the others twice a day too.  They leave food  for me in their bowls, so I get to eat more than everyone else.  If I’ve had a busy day, the Lady lets me eat some more dinner before I go to bed.  Otherwise, I get up cause my tummy is growling and once I am up she is up too!

They make these things the Man calls sqeakies.  I like squeakies . You chew on them, the squeak and no one yells at you or stops you like they do if it is a dog or a cat you are making squeak.

OH I get to also chew on something the Lady calls Flip Chips.  The others don’t like them, so I don’t need to share.  I can chew on those as much as I want and no one tells me NO, or takes me away. 

Chewing on furniture is bad.  This is how I got my fist flip chip.

Counter surfing is bad and making things crash is bad.

Peeing in the house is bad.  Not stopping when you get caught is really bad.  This makes you get escorted out of the house.  Then you have to stay out for a while. 

There is a steel container in the kitchen.  When the lady opens the door, it is like a private air  conditioner!  It smells good in there.  She tells me to get my nose out of there.  But it smells good. I really like the feeling of the cool air on my face and the smells are so good, I forget to listen to her. Fog, NO, and she takes me away. (Michelle here, this would be the fridge)

There is also a door that she opens, it is like a magic place.  Everyone comes running when she opens that .  They all wait to see if she gets something out for them, but I just get nose in there and see what I can find to chew on.  She at first thought it was funny. But not now.  Again she says NO, and takes me away. (Michelle here, this would be the pantry)

I have found my nose goes all most everywhere it shouldn’t.  It has been nearly smashed in between doors and cabinets, drawers and cabinets, gates and fences, and toilet seats and toilets .  I am figuring it out.  So far I haven’t gotten hurt.

Coffee is GOOD!  The man’s coffee is especially good. He leaves it where I can get it, then he tells me No.

Walking on a leash is fun.  Walking with the others is funner.
I am a beautiful dog.  I discovered ME in the mirror in the middle of the night.  What a stunning animal I am.  Sometimes I go in the bathroom and just peek above the cabinet see my face.  The lady says I will be even more beautiful, once we get my skin and hair to settle down.  I think I am CUTE.

OMG I found out that I don’t have to lay on concrete, or straw or newspaper!  They make these things the humans call dog beds.  They are all over this house.  They are so soft!  A guy can lay down on them, and it is soft and it wraps around you.  It just causes you to relax and drift asleep.

Speaking of sleeping: I like to sleep with my legs in the air.  Mister calls it roaching.  It’s so nice to be able to roll over on your back, and stretch out, without running into a cage!  Sometimes, I roach next to his chair, and I fall asleep and his chair supports me.  I am starting to like this house life.

This is me and Rivee roaching together.

Live and Learn

Before the 6 foster dogs got here, I prepared the panacur balls, and froze them.  I put 5 droncits in 5 packages, one package for each dog, and then I added  heart worm pills for each of the 5 dogs.  I put all these individual packages into 5  big Ziploc bags with instructions for each medication, then I labeled each bag with the foster family's name, thus ensuring each family got one. Everyone got their package and their dog. I was pretty happy with myself, each time I do this I learn what could have gone better and try to fix it the next time. Did you notice we got 6 foster dogs, and I only made 5 packages?  Well, why would I need to make a package for myself?
Fognoston loves to eat, so the 5 days of panacur for tape, whip and ringworms, dispensed on schedule. Good for me! Heart worm pill given to Fog and eaten.  Good for me.  Wrote on a sticky note the date heart worm pill dispensed, and placed sticky note in Ostn's foster book.  I learned this from another foster mom. This way if you forget to tell the adopting family when the heart worm pill was given, it is in the book.  And if I forget when I gave it to him, all I have to do is look in his book.  Genius, I think.
So I am sitting in an endless meeting this afternoon, and my dog sitter texts me.  She texts me every day when she lets the dogs out and pets them AND picks up the poo in the yard. (4 dogs make a lot of poo!)www.doggoneityardduty.com.  She usually sends pictures of Ace on the deck, or River following her around, or Macho in the pool, with info about what dooty they did in the yard, or quirky thing they did.  I forgot my reading glasses so I had a hard time reading the message.  I borrowed someones reading glasses, and proceeded to read "There are little rice looking worms that are moving in piles of poop".  Picture of poop included.  I could include that picture here, but I that would be a poopy picture. I was really happy I didn't have someone read that to me! It probably would have be been the talk of the meeting.  After the meeeting I called the vet, and of course these are the worms that the droncit kills. And I forgot to give him the droncit.  Next time, I will make myself a package so the worms don't come in!  Live and Learn....

A day with Mister and the Lady- Fog speaks

The other day, the lady and the man took me and only me with them in the RRB.

We went to this place (the lady called it a store) that sells Dog stuff. I am a dog so I of course had to smell everything and try to take stuff off the shelves.  Mister, stood and talked to the other people, and their were little girls.  They were very interested in me, and their Daddy told them all about me.  One little girl was very interested in my tail.  I didn't care.  They were nice girls.  Soon one of the ladies, took us to a room in the back of the store.  She talked to the man and lady and she left.  Next thing I knew, the man picked me up and put me in a steel container.  There was water running.  It was was a warm and it felt good.  The man and lady gave me a bath at the store!  After the bath they dried me off. I liked that cause it was like getting petted by two people at once!  After the bath the  lady took me for a walk cause I had to go number 1.  I walked down the shaded path that goes from store to store and was intrigued by that good looking dog in the windows and doors.  The lady told me that is me.  Gosh I AM cute!. I was really drawn to a store down the shaded path.  I looked at myself in their door, and as I was admiring myself, a lady came out of the store, just to pet ME!  She was a very nice lady, soon all the ladies in the store came out to pet me.  I was so excited I even jumped on one lady, and she rubbed me all over, she didn't even get mad.  My Lady, told me that they were cosmetologists (hair dressers) and My Lady and Man had already done my hair.  The hair dressers loved me.  They asked all sorts of questions and invited me back.  I went number 1 and then the lady took me back to the man at the store.  The people there gave me cookies, it was great.  The man and lady took me to the RRB and then we went back to the hair dressers.  They even let me in their store.  They want to share info about my breed with their clients and help us find forever homes.
I really liked the people I met and I hope I can go back soon.
Sky would give this 5 Roos
Fog
We took Fogenosten to http://petpeople.com/ in Strongsville and Fog loved the people at the solon 3 doors down.
Michelle

WHY AM I FOSTERING?

ok.  Mr Fog enjoyed his blogging yesterday.  Which is good, cause today, he is in rare form, which makes me wonder, WHY am I fostering ?  Fog is 2 1/2 years old.  If you've never had a 2 year old greyhound, let me say it reminds me of having a 2 1/2 year old child in the house.  If you don't watch them and monitor them then, you will find the most challenging issues to deal with.
  At 2 a.m. River was snarking at OstnFog.  When I was able to observe what was happening, I saw River on her bed next to me, and Fogston the floor next to River.  Over the next 10 minutes Fostnostn managed to wiggle his way over and put his head on her bed, which made her nuts!  Lots of snarking, growling, and whinning.  I took him out side just to break the pattern.  He came up stairs and laid under the window.  This was the beginning of Fog's bad day.
Bill got up and fed them so I could sleep. At 9, everyone greeted me.  I went to the garage, and Fog stayed with me.  He proceeded to pick up a bungi cord and drag it, hook end across the floor, and snag a bag of dog coats, and dragged it 3 feet. "No, Bad, Leave it, Etc" just sent him to box of milk bones. He doesn't like milk bones.  No, leave it, etc.  Finally we went in.  I was doing some decluttering and Macho and Fogn was with me. I looked at Fosten and he had a flip flop in his mouth.  I put it away.  Then I looked at him and he had a jump drive in his mouth. chomp, chomp, took that away, NO.  I went about cleaning, and looked up and saw Ostnfosten chewing on a blanket and trying to take it outside. NO.  Within minutes I heard the sound of water running onto carpet.  He was going number one on the buffet.  NO, Bad, took him outside.
When he came in, I put his diaper on him.  He didn't like that all!
In retaliation...I was getting stew ready for dinner. I put the meat in the bowl, went to get something out of the fridge, almost closing his nose in the fridge door, and then went to get something out of the pantry.  I heard a slurping noise. Turned around and found FOG with his nose in the bowl of meat, happilly eating away, on the counter. NO BAD_GET and I went to move him out of the kitchen. He has been instructed and shown many times to GET out of the kitchen. As I reached for his collar, he sauntered out of the kitchen.

We all went outside.  I took his diaper off, and he went potty.  We came back in, and I went back to work in the kitchen, I looked down and found him laying next to me.

with this sort of look, how can a foster mom want to give up?  He is comfortable here and is learning his boundaries.