So hard to post

I really have so little to add, Chance is really more of my dads foster dog so I'm finding it so hard updating on how well he is doing. He is getting more confident and when he is out on his walks he is the happiest boy around, he walks lovely on the lead and if you want to go for a run he can run next to you.

All I can do for now is add this video of him and hope that someone sees the true happiness in him :) 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM4Peg3LD_k&feature=share

P.s. really sorry for the lack of updates but had a mad assignment rush but I'm on the final countdown and education for me is nearly over... not that I'll stop learning. Working with animals is a constant learning curve and you learn something new everyday :) 

2 Years Fostering

Well today marks the second anniversary of me fostering dogs. 2 years ago today a little jack russel came into our house and from their the fostering began. 2 years on we are on foster dog no. 32. You may all think its amazing the amount of dogs I've saved over the past 2 years but in reality I don't know where I'd be without them. I've said this many times but people really need to know fostering isn't just good for the dogs its so good for the people involved too. 

In the past 2 years I've learnt far more than anyone will ever learn as a dog owner in their lifetime. I've had hands on experience with nervous agression, separation anxiety, untrained dogs, deaf dogs, old dogs, young dogs, different breeds of dogs... the list could go on forever on what I've experienced and from that experience you learn what to do in certain situations.

And of course without fostering I wouldn't have my two terrible terriers. Tinks and Binx! 

I have no more to add on Chance, we will be going for a nice walk with him tomorrow to meet our rescue photographer and get some good photos of him :)

Lucy, Chance, Tinks, Binx and Sally 

On a Hold

Can't believe its been so long since I posted but unfortunately I have nothing new to add. We seem to have to a halt with poor Chance and he is not going anywhere. I'm pretty sure I did write a post not long back with a proper update but it must have just been that I emailed it to Kathy and forgot to put it on here. I've been very busy with work and college work and of course keeping on top of these four doggies. 

So instead of doing a totally different update I'm just going to post what I have written for the website. I'm classing Chance as my dads foster though as he really is my dads dog so this is written as if my dad is writing it: 

Chance is settling much better into a home environment now. His separation anxiety is starting to settle down and now when left he will just curl onto my bed and sleep.  In his new home it may take him a while getting used to being left again and he needs someone who has patience to accept his initial anxiety.   Also someone who doesn't mind him sleeping on their bed.

Although he can be left it would be best if this was left to a minimum.  He needs someone who is around most of the time to earn his trust and make him feel comfortable.  It takes a while for Chance to put trust in people, however once he has gained his trust he is an extremely loyal boy who will follow you anywhere so again a patient owner will be needed who understands even if he is a little scared at first he will soon come out of his shell and enjoy a cuddle. 

The best way to gain Chances' trust is taking him on plenty of walks.  He loves being out on a walk and will get giddy and prance around as soon as he sees his harness.  He walks very well on the lead and does not pull at all.  He doesn't react to other dogs on the lead and is very curious about the world around him.  We don't think Chance can ever be let off lead, he has selective hearing and as he is nervous could easily be spooked but to Chance a walk on the lead is just as good!

Chance likes to sleep on my bed at night and will dig under the covers and cuddle right up. He sleeps all the way through the night and still stays in bed when I get up to let our other dog Sally out in the middle of the night.

He is very well behaved and although he has no basic training in terms of sitting for treats and recall he is fully housetrained and when he does get a treat he takes it from your hands very gently.

During the day Chance loves to curl up and sleep on his big bed in front of the fire and doesn't mind when the other dogs come and sit next to/on him. Chance would be fine being rehomed as an only dog, however may do well with another older quiet dog to bring him out of his shell and improve his confidence.

Chance really is a gentle boy and I think the only reason he is still here is because of his quiet nature and separation anxiety, which has really come along now. He has a perfect nature though and is so well behaved.

Chance in Pictures

 

So here are the rather delayed promised photos of Chance. He really is a handsome boy! We have come to realise Chance can not be left for long periods of time so will need a very special home. He suffers from separation anxiety and will howl even when there are other dogs around. I really do feel sorry for him, he has such a sad face. 

He is slowly coming out of his shell and every now and then you will see his tail do a quick wag when he catches a glimpse of you and he will come close for a kiss. All this old boy needs is a bit of time and love. He is fully housetrained and when we're home he spends the majority of his time asleep in front of the fire. He loves his walks though and walks really nicely on the lead, no pulling at all, he just walks to heel. Chance is dog friendly and just tends to stay out of these threes way. He would be okay with another old calm dog. We have yet to test him with cats but I think he would be cat friendly as he is such a gentle boy. 

Lucy, Chance, Tinks, Sally and Binx xx

One Week and So Much Change

Really sorry for the lack of updates, being so busy. So lets take things a bit of news at a time.

First: I failed again! Mr Binx is now officially my dog. People at work have been waiting for the moment for a while and to be honest think most of the people in the rescue expected it. He is my little man and nowhere would be more perfect for him than here. He has his best friend, Tinks. Fosters to improve his confidence with other dogs. And comes to work with me and meets new people all the time. He is my special little boy and I am so happy to be owned by him... and so is Tinks.

Secondly: Last week Harry had his three operations in one. All went well, he was left with no teeth, no lump and no balls but he is feeling much better now thankfully and the vet has no concerns, so he is ready to go to his forever home.

Finally: Last week we were made aware of a dog in a pound which was going to be PTS. There was nothing wrong with him, he was old, had done his 7 days and nobody wanted him. He had been assessed as a friendly boy but still the pound were willing to put him down. So Jane from the rescue went along and fought to save this boy and was given an hour where she made sure we could take him in. It would have involved moving Harry to a foster who could only take small dogs but I was willing to do that to rescue a dog from death. Harry loves everyone and as long as he was loved thats all that matters. So we took on the poundie. An  8 year old supposedly lab x... who we now think is a whippet x, possibly with a beagle. He had no name so thanks to everyones help on facebook we decided on Chance. We took a Chance on him and now we want someone else to do the same. 

Chance is a quiet old boy who adores men. He doesn't ask for much but someone to care for him and give him his basic needs. A couple of short walks a day, a garden to potter about in and two meals a day with plenty of treats in between. He has grown very fond of my dad and will bark when he leaves, even if I'm in so he needs to be walked before he leaves, coming back when hes gone and a good rawhide chew keeps him quiet. He is fully housetrained however may have accidents if left due to stress. He sleeps all the way through the night and is generally a quiet boy. We think Chance may be deaf but the only effect of this is he can never be left off lead and careful approaches must be made so he doesn't spook. I'll add pictures tomorrow but for now I need to get some college work done! 

Lucy, Tinks, Sally, Binx and Chance x

Harrys video :)

A little miracle

Well Harry has settled in here very well, he has so much love to offer considering how he has obviously being let down in the past. He is now eating brilliantly and on 4 meals a day, eating twice the amount he should probably be eating but we want him to put weight on and I'm pretty sure he is doing that. Surprisingly he is already getting used to his name and responding when called, hes catching on with housetraining but it is hard work and involves regular outings. He sleeps all the way through the night and is left in a crate if both me and my dad are at work. Today I did put a hot water bottle underneath his quilt just to keep him warm while he was in there as he obviously feels the cold easily. Harry follows me around everywhere, literally he will even follow me into the bathroom. He chases me around like a little shadow. He can now not only climb up stairs but climb down them to. Its fair to say I am yet again a proud foster mummy. The more hes progressing, the more confident I am that he will get through this operation okay, but only time will tell. Harry does have some slight food agression which could be down to being starved before so needs to be left alone while eating. He can't cause any harm though as he has a lack of teeth and such a tiny weak mouth. He can be grumpy and does ocassionally growl at Binx for getting too close but it is just a little moan and he doesn't try fight.
We did get some proper photos done of Harry from someone who helps with the rescue who has an amazing camera.