Roscoe's New Family

Roscoe found his fur-ever family on June 4th. Yes, I realize it's July now, but it was harder to see him go than I expected.

Roscoe's new family is wonderful. He's got acres to run around on and little kids to play with! I know he'll be happy with them. Mostly because he didn't even look back. I tell myself that's a good thing, but after four months of couch cuddling, neighborhood jogs, and having him follow me around everywhere; I didn't realize until he was gone how attached I had become.

Roscoe's new Mommy sent me a lovely email about how well he's been doing. I was so glad to hear it. I hope for pictures and more updates.

Gimme Some Sugar!

Meet Sugar Ray. As you can see, his current condition isn't, well, what you'd call "healthy."

I've spent the last several days as a go between from GOBR and PAPL, and I have to say I'm a little more than disappointed. I'm not quite understanding why the PAPL is being resistant. GOBR is a reputable rescue, and we are more than capable of providing the care he needs. I also don't understand why they'd resist having a rescue come in, and do what rescues do, and use their funding to support the animals they already have (and any other new ones coming in). Since the story broke last week, I have gotten many emails about it, and I know GOBR has gotten tons from other rescues and concerned people asking what we are doing about it, and what the situation is. To the point that I was asked to write a form letter for responses detailing to the inquirers that they are declining our assistance.

No new pictures have gone up, and I have heard nothing good lately about this facility, and frankly  SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT. My mom told me to listen to my gut. Well, my gut tells me they are milking this fluff piece after getting negative press lately b/c they need the donations. I just hope that Sugar Ray doesn't become a casualty of a political ploy....

It will always be a crazy ride...

So while my lap looks like this (see above photo), I realized that our last week was so crazy, I've neglected you all. Juggling work, the house, family, and my Poo-Bahs can be overwhelming. But every night, when I have crowded lap time, I'm reminded how absolutely lucky I am. Our pasts might be heart breaking, full of ups and downs, but here at HOME, we are flying high. Warm place to sleep, food in out bellies, and lots of love is proving to be the recipe for rehab here.

Roscoe is doing far better than I imagined. His hip bones aren't protruding as much, and his house manors are greatly improving. We are working on basic commands, and he's very obedient if you have a treat in your hands... But not so much without food rewards (getting better). He's on his last round of Panacur, and is ready to roll out. I'm going to redo his Pet Finder ad tomorrow and submit it with new pictures... He's such a loveable cuddle-bug, it's going to be a bitter-sweet moment once he finds his forever home.

Miss Dahnke is also doing well, she had a good vet visit on Saturday! HW-, baby! I knew it would be, but a secand test was necessary because of the timing of her last one. She's generating some interest, and I might have a potential adopter for her! She's very excited to be an only puppy, I tell you. I am just so glad that we may have found someone who can provide her the environment she needs. So keep your fingers crossed!

http://www.facebook.com/ThePatrickMiracle

And a side note: Patrick's story isn't for the faint of heart. It's a true testiment to some of the horrors people are capable of, and also the great things people can be. For every mainstream story, there are thousands of tales just like it that go unnoticed. 

Where to begin!?!?

There is lots to be done this weekend... Already emails are flying hot about the Boxer Bash in September. The Boxer Bash is GOBR's biggest yearly fundraiser. If it weren't for the previous successes of this event, GOBR would probably not be around. The moneys we raise at this event provide most of the funding we need throughout the year for our dogs' medical expenses. The entire event is set up with volunteer efforts, and every penny raised goes to the medical fund. Which is great. For the dogs.

I was racking my brains on how I could help. And I had an idea. And of course I think this is a great idea... but then... ugh, I don't know!

I LOVE to bake. It started out as something I did when I was down to cheer me up. Now I am a baking, cooking fool. I like to try new things, and make it look pretty, and eat tasty goodies!!!! I digress...
CupCakes for people and decorated with little boxer fondant silhouettes, and PupCakes for the dogs! (I have an apple-cheese recipe for dogs, with a cream-cheese/greek yogurt icing!)

So for now, I'm volunteering to send out solicitation letters asking for donations... I would like to do the cupcakes but I'm really afraid of over extending myself... I also don't know how I'd transport them and the dogs... hmmm... I'll figure something out.

what to do, what to do?

#3750 Roscoe's PF ad...

I spent all weekend writing and rewriting Petfinder ads for Roscoe. The one I finally submitted this morning was blah, but I've been on a block writing this for over a week now.

Hello! My name is Roscoe and I am a big boxer boy! I'm about a year to a year and a half old, almost 70 pounds, UTD on shots, HW negative, and I just got neutered. I have natural ears and  a tail, and my dewclaws still. I'm a great boy with a great disposition, I'm learning to keep "all four on the floor" and I love to go for long walks. My foster mom says I'm horrible on a leash, but I'm great with a Sporn halter... She keeps telling everyone what a great thing it is, I don't mind it, so I let her use it. 

My favorite past times include following my foster mom around the house, playing with my foster sibs, and lounging in laps. Yep, I'm quite possibly the biggest, cuddliest lap dog ever! I like to rest my head on my foster mom's shoulder while she reads out loud to us.

****

Roscoe was originally picked up as a stray, but we quickly learned he has a great personality, is house trained, and will only sit and shake for a treat at this point, though we are working with him. We would recommend some obedience training classes (dual purpose: for training and bonding) or someone familiar with the breed and training.

If you think you can handle this much love-bug in your life, head on over to www.goboxerrescue.com and submit an application!!!

But that's what I sent for review with the group... I figure I can make changes as needed.

Also, new development... if I leave the broom with in reach of him, and leave the room, he will bring it to me. Only the broom, and he did it about 5 times this weekend. I asked him if he was trying to tell me something, and laughed. 

Dahnke's Nub

It was going to be called Dahnke's Tail (Tale- get it, LOL!) But she doesn't have one... Don't worry, she doesn't mind, she wags her four inch nub just fine. She's a Boxer, it's supposed to be docked anyways (Don't tell Roscoe).

I call Dahnke's coming home from the shelter date, her birthday. We call it her 3rd Birthday. October 2nd, 2010 Dahnke turned three and started a new life. The day I picked Dahnke up from the shelter I had gotten up early and driven two and a half hours to get her. All I knew was that she had been involved in a neglect case.

When the animal warden took them the owner had NO IDEA HOW OLD DAHNKE WAS. So that's why we call it her new third birthday. She was underweight, had some nasty fleas, and was a little scarred up. But she has an Angel face...

So home we went, where in the course of a few days I realized I had brought home a little more than i bargained for. First thing we did was get a bath, pick of remaining fleas, clean up her ears, toe nails, etc. Then came my next surprise... Diarrhea! OMG, that poor girl was spurtin' cow patties all over my lawn for a MONTH! And I don't know if you have ever tried to clean up diarrhea on your lawn, but it wasn't fun for me.  It was a night mare... specifically when i went back to work, and she got most of it all over the floor and walls of my dining room (and that's from her crate! could you imagine what I would have come home to if she had been roaming!?) We eventually moved to grain free foods, and her "issues" completely disappeared.

Dahnke has some issues getting along with new animals. She is fine with Medwin, but Medwin was a runt. He's submissive, and playful, and bends to Dahnke's "will" per se. She simply does not like other females, from the get go, and is slow to accept any other animals in the house. Because of these issues, I'm looking for a single pet household for her. I don't want to set her up to fail. She's a good dog and eager to please her person. She's very obedient now, and I have no problems with her in the house (aside from scuffles with fosters now and again).

Dahnke's Petfinder link is http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/18677716.

#3750 Roscoe is doing well

I know, I know... way to be on top of things, Angela...

Truth is, I have been super busy. Things to take care of, and do, and get done have been raining down upon me, and I've been super scrambling to get things done. Back to my Poo-bahs:

Roscoe came home last Thursday night. For a guy who just got his balls removed, he was rather lovey and tried to be active (I put a cease order on that- "limited activity" the vet said). He's totally an optimistic :) My 65lb Mr. Brightside :) He had the last of his pain meds Monday and didn't have any adverse side effects. So other than the fact that I know he had surgery, and you can see the surgical site, he seems back to normal. I need to do his write up, but I just don't know what to say. I'll sit down with him tonight and see what he thinks.

Dahnke has a vet visit coming up, she needs to have another HW test done. Apparently they don't trust the ones done in the fall, they can sometimes give out a false negative if the heart worms haven't developed to a point, it won't show up. She's been on HW preventative since October when i got her, and i think she's fine, but better safe than sorry.

It's finally supposed to be nice outside tonight after work, so I will be able to tell you how he is on a leash soon! (but just a short walk, "Limited Activity!")