Getting Out The Front Door

As the starts getting hotter and hotter, the patterns with the huskies will change. Midday outings will start to trickle off unless if it's to the beach. Evenings on the pool deck or the front porch will pick up. Yup, summer is starting to announce itself in Florida. And while a husky's undercoat will protect them from extreme temperatures on either spectrum, it still gets too hot to have them out side during the midday sun running with no way of cooling down. Dog park trips will be moved to evenings or cooler days.

Sid and Kony checking out the front

Recently, the front porch got screened in, as a way to better husky proof things. It helps keep them from bolting, though Sid foiled that plan today. It also let's them sit out front and watch the neighborhood during the evenings. So far, it's been a hit with Kony. He's been sitting outside every night. He really seems to enjoy just being around his foster humans more then anything, though his curiosity seems to get quenched being outside as well. He's pretty good about not jumping up on the screen, unlike another husky who shall remain nameless. The one time he did try, a quick no got him to step back down and he has not tried again. Other then the hoarding of toys, Kony doesn't give us much trouble. He eats, sleeps and wants attention. No table begging, no cat eating, nothing.

Speaking of cat eating, he is making huge strides in the cat friendly area. Earlier today, Sid and Kony had Simon trapped and were trying to play with him. Kony seems to be picking up that Simon is not food from Sid, though I'm sure while Simon appreciates that, he would appreciate it more if Kony would ignore him. I noticed Kony was being gentle with the cat when batting at him. Since it has only been a small amount of time since Kony drooled over the cat, I still distracted them with treats so Simon could get to the other side of the gate. He didn't look too amused at his predicament anyway.

I have been trying to get Kony out as much as possible so people can meet him. He is such a friendly dog, and so far, I don't think he's met a person he doesn't like. One of the best ways to get Kony out is to get him out to the events that the rescue is at. I figure I'll try to get him to as many as possible before the weather just makes it uncomfortable for him.

Kony lazing about at the flea market

This past weekend, he made an appearance at the flea market. He hung out for a few hours in front of the fans and greeted anyone who came by. A list of possible events he can be seen at are listed on Husky Haven's website. He will not be at this weekend's event, but I do plan on getting him out to the one at the end of the month. So feel free to come out and say hello to him and the other great huskies that are out.

He really seemed to enjoy his time out. He has such a laid back temperament and really does enjoy having people shower attention on him. Getting him places is pretty easy since he walks like a perfect gentleman on a leash and sleeps like a little baby in the car. If someone wanted a dog to take places with them, they would be hard pressed to find one better behaved then Kony. He doesn't jump at strangers, nor does he run from them. Busy places don't seem to bother him at all. He's confident and relaxed in every situation we have had him in so far.

Kony seems to get comfortable in new situations pretty quickly, so when he does find a home to call his very own, the adjustment period should be pretty quick. Teach him the house rules, let him get adjusted to any other animals and give him plenty of love. He definitely deserves the love and will return it tenfold. Be sure to come by and say hello to him the next time he is out and about and see just what a teddy bear this guy is. He always has an extra hug for anyone who wants it.

The huskies enjoying a quiet evening

My Three Sons..... Err Dogs

It's always kind of fun watching a fur baby getting comfortable in a new surrounding and really showing their personality. These past few days, Kony has hit that stage. He was always a sweet dog, but now I'm starting to see his playful side too.

Onyx trying to escape the wrestling match

Lately, him and Sid wrestle non stop. He has quite a bit of energy when he has a constructive outlet for it. And he seems to be aware fo his size. Sid seems to get the upper hand in the bouts quite a bit, but I think that is because Kony is being gentle since he is about twice Sid's size. Today, not only did they wrestle, they also decided to play chase me in the living room. Onyx was the smart one. He hid. Onyx usually hides when those two get a bit too into playing. Or he tries to get out of the living room. I can't say I blame him. I try to escape too. Sid likes to include whoever or whatever is around when he gets into playing. But it's nice seeing all of them getting along so well. Kony really seems to be doing well with his foster brothers, and he is so well behaved, I can let him on the other side of the gate if he needs a break from the more energetic Sid for a bit.

Kony actually started a new game with Sid. I keep a toy box in the living room for all of their toys. All of the dogs seem to find it pretty quickly. Kony has started taking all of the toys out of it and putting them on the rug and then laying with them. He then growls at Sid if Sid walks by. He's not being aggressive. He is trying to taunt Sid. This is how Kony initiates play. Sid isn't as subtle in his initiating. He just jumps at Kony and it turns into puppy UFC.

Kony wishing he had some BBQ sauce

Kony is getting better with the cats. He still wants to eat them, but he seems to understand that that is a behavior his foster mommy doesn't desire. He is very good if told to leave the cats alone and walks away from them. Since Kony has been good about listening where the cats are concerned, I have been letting him get closer to Simon so he can get use to the cats. Simon is an awesome cat and he won't back down. He was a boxer in a previous life and can defend himself pretty well. I've never seen anyone throw a left hook like he does. While I wouldn't call him cat friendly yet, though he may be getting there, I would call him cat tolerant. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trust him alone with the cats if they didn't have a way to get away from him, but he seems to be coming a long way. He is not crated at night or when I have to go out, but the kiddy gate keeps him confined to an area that the cats can avoid. There has been no problems and I am quite happy with how he's been doing with the cats.

While Kony can be quite energetic during playtime, the rest of the time he just likes to lay around and be lazy. Unlike another husky I know, he is not constantly looking for something to get into. He's perfectly happy laying on the dog bed or laying next to my chair and getting his belly rubbed. He is a great dog to just lay around and love. And a great dog to poop out Sid.

Kony showing either his intellect or laziness

I plan on taking Kony to some of the upcoming events so others can see just how sweet and gentle this boy really is. More information on Kony can also be found on Petfinder.

Presenting Kony, The Gentle Giant

This past Wednesday, after dinner, I went to go meet Kony, the new foster. I had already had a chance to meet him briefly at an event. Sid and Onyx got to meet him there as well, but I was still a little nervous about the introduction. Let's face it, three dogs and two cats could get a bit chaotic, and somehow, I forgot about Kony's size until I saw him at the pick up meeting. If Kony were to get on his back legs and stand up, he could probably rest his front paws on my shoulder. It is nice being able to pet and hug him without having to bend down though, and he loves being petted and loved. He is a very sweet and gentle boy.

Kony greeting everyone

It's nice to say that once again, things went smoothly when I brought him into the home. It was done a bit differently this time since Sid and Onyx were outside. We brought Sid in first, let him get comfortable, then introduced Onyx into the situation. Onyx does follow Sid's lead with a lot of things. They have become very attached to one another. 

Arrival day is turning into a routine. After getting the dog use to his foster brother's and letting him see the back yard and get use to his surroundings, bath time happens. Unlike Rayzr and Onyx, Kony is not a happy bath dog. Bathing him was a two person job, but once he knew we weren't hurting him, he did calm down. He wasn't happy about the bath after he calmed down, but he is smart enough to know if he doesn't fight us, it ends quickly.

Kony relaxing after a bath

Kony is a pretty laid back boy. He prefers to lay down in the quieter parts of the house. He will play and wrestle with his foster brothers, but he doesn't want to play as much as the other two do, which is every waking moment.

Kony is pretty good in cars as well. He seems to enjoy sleeping through the car ride. He is so quiet and so good it would be easy to forget he was with you until you got to your destination. This is a big difference from Sid who thinks car ride time is also climbing over everyone and everything time and needs to be secured when in a vehicle.

Kony is also a dog that listens. If he is doing something you don't want him to do, which isn't often, all you have to do is say his name and he stops. He doesn't seem to know commands like sit very well, but he is learning quickly. Or maybe he did know and the new environment threw him off and he's starting to show what he knew again. He learned how to use the doggy door in the pool cage, which is actually pretty funny since he seems like he'd be too big for it when he walks up to it.

The one area that it has been very useful that he listens so well is with the cats. He definitely wants to see what they taste like. He hasn't tried to hurt them, but he has stared at the one and drooled. Fortunately, the cats are smart enough to avoid him, and he doesn't have enough of a prey drive to go after them. I think he can be taught to see the cats as part of the pack, however, I do think supervision and caution would always need to be used. Having a way to separate the two seems to be a must. And having a cat that doesn't back down seems to be helping as well.

Because of the cat issue, I did want to crate him though. After ordering a larger crate then the one I had set up for the fosters since he would not fit in the other one, I found out he is not a happy dog in the crate. Over night when the cats are sleeping in one of the bedrooms, I don't mind locking him in the living room. While the dogs are not at home alone a lot, he will be crated then. I am going to try to work with him to make him feel more comfy being crated in case his new forever home prefers to crate their dogs. I found in the past, the easiest way to train my dogs to not hate the crate is to first let them get use to laying in it not closed, then close them in it for a few minutes at a time, each time a little longer. He does like laying in a crate that is open already, so I don't think the next step will take a long time to accomplish.

What a handsome boy!

I think teaching him new things or getting to adapt his behavior is going to be pretty easy. Kony is already a good dog who listens well and he obviously wants to please his humans. He really doesn't need much work, if any, depending on what kind of home he goes into. If you want to learn more about Kony, you can find him on PetFinder.

A Weekend Out and a New Foster

As mentioned in my last post, I had to take some time off from fostering during my recovery. This past Wed marked the one month point and I decided that I feel well enough to start back up. I should be getting my new foster furbaby on Wed. evening, so I will be posting more again.

I did get out with Onyx and Sid this weekend though. The Rays had a bark at the park day where you were allowed to take your dogs to the ball game, so I jumped on it immediately and got tickets for them. There is suppose to be two more of these this season, and I will most likely do them again. If a foster is in my care and it is ok, I will take the foster along too.

Sid taking in the sights

Sid and Onyx were so well behaved and they seemed to really enjoy going. I am sure dogs are like people in that they get sick of the same surroundings every day, which is why I try to get them out as much as possible. I even have an app to tell me about local dog parks and eateries that are dog friendly. While not all doggie dining places are in the app, a good number are. With how well behaved these two were at the game, I am convinced trying new things with them will go fine.

Onyx having a blast

I am a little nervous about having three dogs to take care of, but I am pretty sure it will go fine. There are three sets of hands in this house for doggie outings and walks and there is support from my parents a few blocks away. I know that it will be worth it. There is no feeling for a dog lover like giving a dog another chance at a loving home.

A Furry Break In a Storm

It's been awhile since my last post. We had an emergency 3 weeks ago. It happened right after picking up Onyx, who was to be our newest foster. On the way home, I wasn't feeling well. I was in a lot of pain, which I assumed was from a pinched nerve I had. My sister was with me, and we stopped at my parents' house with Onyx. After being there for a few moments, I knew something was wrong. I went in their room to lay down and ended up on the floor. Onyx came back and sat with me until they came. He watched over me while we waited for help.

Onyx making himself at home

As it turns out, I had a heart attack. I spent a few days in the hospital. But on that first day, I knew. We have our foster failure. I knew Onyx couldn't go to another home after watching over me. And I think everyone agreed. Onyx kept visiting everyone and making sure they were ok. He was a fuzzy and loving break in an otherwise, very bad day.

I had mentioned before how he looked like my Belgian Shep mix, Pembleton. I was excited to be picking him up and helping him. I fell in love with him at first meeting. It was easy to see just how loving he was just by the look in his eyes. I was nervous about the introduction between Sid and Onyx, but as it turns out, I wasn't the one to make the introduction. It was made while I was in the hospital. I missed the first few days. But I was getting updates and knew he was fitting well into the home. I couldn't wait to get released to get home to my two boys. I am happy to report that they are helping me recover. :)

I decided to take a short break from fostering while I was recovering and Onyx was getting use to his new surroundings. I had Sid and Onyx out at an event this past weekend just to get out for the day with my fur babies and we had fun. I got to meet the potential new foster dog that will be placed with us and he was as sweet as the others. I have a few things I need to do for myself over the next week and a half, and then I can make arrangements to bring the next foster into the home. I'm looking forward to bringing the next dog home and sharing all of the experiences that go along with it.

Pembleton enjoying a rare Southern VA Snow

Rayzr Gets A Home

I think most dog owners know the feeling of when that bond is made with your dog and you feel like they complete a part of your heart. When Dief came into my life, I developed an ever deeper bond with her then then I ever expected, and I did not think I could ever experience such a bond again. Sid proved me wrong. I knew the moment I first held him, that I had a companion for life. I think it is pretty obvious to anyone who sees us together, to be able to see the bond that I am speaking of. It has always been an amazing thing to experience, but I learned Sunday, it is an even more amazing thing to witness that bond being formed.

I was sent a message earlier in the weekend that someone wanted to come meet Rayzr at Sunday's event. After getting the details of the time, I arranged to be there early so Rayzr would be ready. I was pretty excited and nervous for him, as I know he is a special dog and deserves a very special home.

Valentino trying to steal someone's heart for a home

The event was at the Oldsmar Flea Market in a dedicated booth to help homeless animals. It is a great location for the animals to get seen, as there is a lot of foot traffic there. In the few hours I was there, so many people stopped by to see the dogs and ask questions.

The area is set up so multiple dogs can be there comfortably. People are able to come by and meet the dogs, play with them and get information on the breed as well as the rescue and see pictures of other available dogs for adoption that aren't at the event. If there is a particular dog someone wants to meet, from what I can tell, the best bet seems to be contacting the rescue and arranging to meet the dog at one of the many events that the rescue attends. Once I heard someone wanted to meet Rayzr, I knew I would make it out there at any time that was needed. After all, the purpose of bringing a foster into my home is to do what I can to help the rescue get the furbaby a forever home. I'm not required to be at all of the events, and I was told when I first talked to them about fostering that if I couldn't make it to an event that they needed a dog placed with me at, that they would help make arrangements to get the dog there. But my weekend plans are usually pretty loose, so I knew during this conversation, I would be able to get the dog to and from the events most of the time. I love spending my weekends taking Sid places, and it is twice as fun when a second dog is in tow.

We weren't there for very long when Rayzr got to meet his potential new Mom. I was a bit nervous at first. I knew Rayzr could win anyone over, but I wasn't sure if his personality was going to come out in all of the commotion of the Flea Market. I don't know why I was nervous, since Rayzr showed what a true teddy bear he really is.

In the beginning of this post, I spoke of the bond I got to watch form. After spending a little bit of time together, as someone on the outside looking in, it seemed as if they were made to be in each other's life. I would be lying if I didn't admit to tearing up a little bit when seeing this. I knew Rayzr had found his perfect home and his perfect human.

I always thought that the first time a foster got adopted would be hard on me. I thought I would be a little down because of missing the dog. While I do miss Rayzr, watching him get adopted was an uplifting experience. There were no sad feelings, and while I did have a few tears, they were tears of joy seeing this bond being formed in front of my eyes.

As I wait to hear about the next foster dog, I am enjoying special only child time with Sid and having my thoughts drift often to Rayzr in his new home. I know he is being showered with love every minute. I want to say congratulations to both Rayzr and Mom. Also, thank you for loving him so much. And don't forget, he likes chew toys. ;)

Rayzr and Mom already in love

Getting Into The Routine

We are coming up on two weeks since Rayzr has joined our home. He is starting to fall into the routine quite nicely. He is eating and drinking more regularly as he has settled in. He has even learned to use the adapter on the faucet outside. He has found not only is it good for a fresh drink, it is also good for a quick shower. He will often go over to the faucet and lean on it until he gets wet.

When he is inside, he is pretty good. We are still working with the begging, but he is learning, if he doesn't beg, he will get a treat after dinner. This method worked with breaking Sid of the begging. Though with Rayzr begging, Sid has become a bit more of a beggar lately as well. They are slowly calming down, depending on what is for dinner. I guess I can understand. There are certain foods I can't resist by the smell, so I guess they have their foods they really want because of the smell.

They are still improving greatly with chew toys and treats. They now know they are both getting the same, so they leave each other alone instead of investigating.

Rayzr relaxing with the tug rope

Rayzr is still finding which toys he likes to play with. He is happy if he has a chewy or a toy he can chew on. He seems to really like the one tug rope, but he still doesn't want to play tug. He has a thing about taking any toy to either the dog bed or under the table next to my chair. Sid has learned if he has a toy in one of those spots, it means that Rayzr wants to play by himself, and is getting better at leaving Rayzr alone. Now that they are getting into a routine and learning each other a bit better, it is making life pretty simple with them.

They do love to play outside together. They do their running and wrestling outside. I am not sure how my neighbors feel about it, however, since Rayzr can be a talkative dog. He has made Sid a bit more vocal, and both like to howl and bark when they are playing. Because of this, they can't play much outside at night. While husky howling is music to my ears, I understand that not everyone else feels the same way. They get talkative inside too. Rayzr is actually pretty easy to get talking. He has a beautiful singing voice.

As part of falling into the routine, I took Rayzr out for his first outing this past week. Sid had a vet appointment and had to be left for tests. When it was time to pick Sid up, Rayzr rode along. He does very well on car rides. He likes to lay down and prefers if the window is cracked so he can get some fresh air. We stopped at the pet store on the way home, and then by my parents' house. Rayzr was very well behaved at the store. When we walked past the bunnies, Sid wanted to climb in with them. Rayzr ignored them.

Rayzr working my Dad for a furever home

Rayzr has taken quite a liking to my Dad. Once we got there, we opened up the screen doors to the porch so the dogs could come and go. Rayzr investigated the back yard for a few minutes, then went straight to my father for attention. After getting pet for awhile, he laid at his feet for most of the visit. When my parents come here, he usually stays pretty close to my father. While Rayzr loves everyone, he does seem to take to males very quickly. I think one day my father will accept that he is a husky person. All I wanted in life was to have a husky companion. Every husky in my life has always attached themselves to him when he is around. I think the breed chose him and he just hasn't realized it yet.

While at my parents, we did a small animal test with Rayzr. My sister's two birds were still there, so we took him inside on the leash to see how he would react. He ignored them. Once we were confident he wasn't going to go nuts, we took him pretty close to the cages. Even with the African Grey growling at him (he growls at all dogs, and brooms, and mops....), Rayzr had absolutely no interest.

Dief searching for Snowball

I know from my experiences with Dief, this is a huge deal. I use to keep small animals when I lived in VA. I could never leave Dief unattended, even with them in their cages. I used to put the cages up high and in a room I could shut off from her to get her to leave them alone. The ferret's cage was taller then me, so the ferret could get away from her. Dief would often sniff at the cage and then lick the ferret as if she was tasting it. Snowball was smart enough to avoid her. I had a carrier for Snowball that I left below her cage. One time after using it, Dief went exploring and got her head stuck in it. The picture was not staged. Most husky lovers know that they often have a high prey drive. Some can be taught to respect other animals as members of the pack. Dief was ok with cats because she was raised with one. However, she was also raised with small animals. She always seemed to think of them as dancing chicken nuggets and hot dogs. It is a breath of fresh air to see Rayzr with the smaller animals. He really just has no interest in them what so ever, whether they are in a cage or running through the backyard. He even ignores the squirrels. If someone wants a laid back husky with no prey drive, I don't think they will do much better then Rayzr. He truly is a great dog.

I know there are some dog friendly events coming up that I would normally take Sid to. Rayzr will be coming with as well. And both events, the rescue has on their schedule. Once I lock in the plans for sure, I will be notifying them that I will be there with Rayzr. Hopefully, he will be able to meet more people and show them just what a great dog he is.

Rayzr relaxing and showing off his good looks