Incoming!

On my last post, I mentioned that I was going to take time off of fostering to take care of some medical issues unless if something came up. Something came up. Natasha was recently pulled from the Miami area. She has some injuries and is in need of treatment. She also needs a quiet place to stay during that treatment. We have a set up to provide that, so we agreed.

Natasha getting sprung from the pound

It seems she will be spending most of her time in a crate for a bit. We have four, including one rather sizable one. I figured with strategic placements around the house, we can give her a place to rest as well as not feel exiled from everyone in the home. This includes making use of the one in the living room.

Sid was pretty good with Andrea during her recovery, though we did keep them apart as a precaution, so I'm not too worried about if they cross paths. This weekend, my parents got a 4 month old pup, and Sid was also very gentle with him. He is also more gentle with me on bad days. I think he can help provide the environment that she will need.

As far as her injuries, it appears she has an issue with her spine and road rash. I am not aware of the extent of the spinal injury at the moment, however, I am told that she is staying in the crate because of her injuries. She is being well behaved about it and alerting when she needs to be taken out.

Right now, they are trying to raise funds for her treatment, as well as the treatment of another dog who is heart worm positive. If you would like to help, they have a fundraiser set up. If you would like to follow her progress, you can visit their Facebook page, as well as follow updates that will be posted here.

I really hope that when she comes to the area, we can help her get back to a vibrant young dog. I am sure it will take time. But she deserves the chance. I am just glad there have been the handful of angels that have pulled her, fostered her, got her medical care and generally been there for her. I'm sure there will be many more along her journey to recovery.

Happy New Home, Andrea!

Here we are, coming up on the one year mark of entering the fostering experience. It's been a very rewarding experience, for both myself and Sid. Andrea, was by far the most rewarding of all of the fosters though. When she came to us this summer, she looked like she had a pretty rough go of it. When she went to her new home on Dec. 30th, she looked like a happy dog should. Her new home comes complete with a little boy to play with. Andrea loves kids, so I'm expecting this to be a great match.

Grats Andrea and family. Sid will miss you!

It will be another month or so before I take in my next foster. I have a small procedure coming up, and it may be best to wait until I heal to bring a second dog into the home. However, if the need arises or Sid gets too lonely, the hiatus will end early. 

Sid on foster vacation

Sid is both loving and hating the only dog syndrome. He cries at the tv when other dogs are on tv because he wants to play. But he likes the extra attention and treats/toys that I could not bring out with a second dog due to fights. Sid isn't great at sharing all of his toys. Most he is fine with, but there are the select few he doesn't want another dog to play with. So those get put away when the fosters come in. 

When I started out last year, I really was not sure if I could do this. I was not sure if I could handle giving up a dog I cared for. The first few were pretty short stays, so there wasn't a lot of time to get super attached. By the time Andrea, came to us, I thought I was prepared for the long term foster to come my way. The day she got adopted, I was both happy and sad. I had both tears and a smile when I walked away from handing over her leash.

Even with the touch of sadness that comes with saying goodbye, I have no regrets. I would not change any of the experiences. And I am looking forward to my recovery so I can bring the next dog in. If someone who is reading this is debating on fostering, all I can say is give it a try. Fostering has given me so much. A playmate for Sid. Introduced me to some of the nicest people I could hope to meet. A bonding experience with my husband and family. And most importantly, the opportunity to help a breed I love. 

Andrea's Update

Hi everyone! Andrea here. My foster mommy hasn't been feeling great, so took a break from the blog. Being the sweet girl that I am, I decided I will make an update for her.

Look at me, I'm writing a blog post!

The nice people at the rescue had my growth removed, and now you can really see just how pretty I am. It has shot my confidence through the roof, and my personality is really starting to shine. I will approach anyone for attention and if someone wants to hug on me, I will be glad to accept. I like any form of attention from petting to having my teeth brushed. How many dogs can say that?

Happy to be out.

Everyone has been getting me out and about to meet people. I've been to the dog park to make friends. I do well with small dogs. I've had a tv appearance too! So if you decide I'm the right dog for you, you will have a star on your hands. If you aren't sure if I'm right for you and would like to meet me, my foster family is getting me to events with the rescue. And Husky Haven of Florida will set up a meeting with me if you can't make it to an event. I love to go places. I ride very well in the car. And I love to investigate new surroundings and meet everyone when I am out. I am always on my best behavior when out in public too!

Since it has been awhile since anyone has read anything about me, I should tell you that I now get along with cats. I still get excited sometimes when they run and want to play with them, but if I am getting too rough and my foster family tells me to leave them alone, I do. They still have their own part of the house to where I can not get to, but we often lay in the same room together with no trouble at all.

Aren't I cute?

Even though I am around 7, I keep up with my 2 year old foster brother just fine. In fact, some days, I wear him out. While I'm content just laying at your feet and being loved, I also have the energy to play and go for long walks.

As much as I love my foster family, I am really looking forward to finding my furever home. Don't let my laid back attitude fool you. I am full of love and energy and am just looking for a nice family to share it with.

My foster mom should be back shortly with another update on me. Until then, I am going to go lay at her feet and be a good girl. I don't believe in giving my humans too much trouble and I know that she is thankful for that.

If She Could Talk

Thursday, as the first named storm of the season was saying hello to Florida, someone took a long drive to pick up a couple of dogs and return home. One of those dogs was my new foster girl, Andrea. We named her after the storm, the day of her new beginning. Time was ticking away for her, and during a time when most people are going to avoid making long trips, there was someone dedicated enough to do so. I admire her. I only had to go 20 minutes for an appointment that day and wasn't too amused about the drive.

The image that was being floated around online to get her help

Andrea is a very sweet girl. She can both grab your heart and break it at the same time. She came into the pound as a stray. There, she was called Sasha. She is an older girl, somewhere around 9 or 10 most likely. She's rather small, what I like to call an apartment size husky, weighing in at 44 pounds. Cataracts are visible in both eyes, though she seems to be able to see the things that she wants to see, for example, the cats. Her teeth aren't in great shape. And she has a growth on her face. With all of this, she is a happy girl that has the spirit of a young girl. She keeps up with Sid and keeps both Sid and Onyx in line. She has shown that she is truly the queen. 

Sid checking out Andrea

She settled in rather quickly. After a brief testing of the waters with Sid and Onyx, she was taken outside to be shown the backyard. Until we get the dogs use to the set up out back with the pool and the pool cage, we guide them back and forth. With all of the rain we had, the pool was filled to the tip top. Somehow, even being guided, she walked right into the water. She did not panic. She was lifted out right away and dried. It really didn't seem to phase her one bit. Since I did have a commitment for the evening, I made sure she had some cozy blankets in the crate I have for the fosters, got her settled and ran out for the dinner plans I had with my family. 

When we got home a little while later, she had her first sighting of the cat. I think it is pretty safe to say that to her, a cat is a snack. She immediately went into hunting stance. But with the way we have the house set up, the cats can be kept safe and we can work with the dogs to accept the cats as part of the pack. I don't expect to be able to turn a dog with a prey drive cat friendly. But I do think that with proper work, some dogs can learn to coexist with cats with the right set up and humans. It didn't take Kony long to get to that point and Andrea is already making huge strides. While she would still love to snack on the cats, that hunting stance when they come around is gone. If I can get her to the point that she ignores them, I will be shocked. If I can get her to the point where she won't attack them because she knows it's frowned upon, I will consider it a success. Right now, if she goes for the cats and she is told to stop, she does. 

Andrea with her favorite toy

Some people, when first hearing of a dog with a few treatable issues at her age, may think why bother. Others see the potential. I don't think it's going to take long for someone to see the potential for sweet Andrea. She has a lot of life in her. She also has a lot of love that she wants to shower onto a family. She is still very playful. In fact, she stole the blue dog that was recently replaced since Kony stole the last one. I am beginning to wonder if Kong will sell those to me in bulk since they tend to be the favorite toy in the house. She is so adorable with the way that she carries the toy with her everywhere. She likes to lay with it as well as make it squeak. She is not often seen without her little blue dog when she is relaxing. I guess this means that when she gets a home, the dog will go with her, and Sid will once again have to wait until I can find a new one to replace it with.

Just like with humans, dogs are living longer. Nine or ten years old does not mean she is close to the end of her life. Better foods, better medical treatment as they are growing up, better knowledge of how to care for them is really extending a pet's life. Diefenbaker, my first girl, lived to 16 1/2. The last couple of years she was battling arthritis. But inexpensive medications/supplements as well as a good dog bed kept her quality of life very high. 

Since it has only been a couple of days, she is still coming out of her shell. The one thing that is consistent with her though as she gets more comfortable here is how much attention she wants to pour over who ever will have it. She goes from person to person giving kisses, laying in laps, waiting to be pet. While she gets along with the two young boys and can keep up with them, she will let them know when it's too much.

Andrea relaxing after her bath

Today, I decided to try out a dog bathing center near the house at a do it yourself carwash place. It is a little room with a bathing setup. It was so worth paying a couple of bucks to bathe her there instead of in the bathtub. She seemed less stressed. There was no slipping and sliding. The setup was a lot safer for the dog then doing it in the house. Since I didn't know what to expect over there, I forgot to take a brush and a towel, which I will remember next time. The dryer helped bring up the undercoat that is starting to blow so she does need a brush out desperately in the next day or two. But she is such a gorgeous girl when she is all cleaned up. It's hard to believe that people can just let their dogs go when they are done with them for whatever reason. It is harder to believe with Andrea. All she really wants out of life is to please her humans and give them love. All she wants in return is a roof over her head, food in her stomach and most importantly, the love returned. I'm looking forward to seeing her come out of her shell more and more over the next week or two. It's sure to be an interesting adventure as the boys aren't use to having a girl around and aren't really sure what to make of it.

Good Luck Kony!

Most people look at this past weekend as the start of the summer. For Kony, it was the start of the newest and best chapter of his life. He was adopted.

Kony and Dad

While Kony was with us, he was having a few normal issues from what was most likely food allergies. Of course, shelters don't exactly feed the dogs the top of the line stuff. He had an ear infection and a couple of hot spots. We were working on getting them cleared while he was with us and he came a long way. His skin was doing so much better. The ears were getting better. He was on a grain free food at my place and his new Dad is making the same change to his diet. Hopefully, between that and finishing up his course of meds, he will be feeling tip top in no time.

Kony had a pretty cool personality. His energy level seemed to match what was going on around him. He loved just laying around and being a couch potato. But if Sid was wound up and wanted to play, Kony could keep up with the young pup. He will have a buddy at his furever home. It's easy to tell, both him and his new buddy are going to be beyond spoiled.

I am waiting for word on my next foster baby. Sketch just came into the system and I was going to get him, however, he has some extra needs and with my own recovery happening, I don't think at this time I can give a dog who needs that sort of attention the proper environment. In a couple of weeks, I should be able to, so hopefully I can step up when the next baby who needs a little extra tlc comes in. Unfortunately, there is always a dog that needs that popping up somewhere.

Saying goodbye to Kony

If you would like to learn more about Sketch or help him, more information can be found here. And if you think you may be wanting to add a husky to your life, after you do your research on the breed, you can find a list of adoptable pets on Petfinder.

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.