Bunker's first impression

I called Cindy to see what time I could pick Bunker up from her house. She mentioned that he had a lot of ticks and a sore ear, where when she touched it he nipped at her. So, I was able to get him into the vet at 4:15 and luckily I did, because he has a fever, indicating an infection probably in his ear, plus a laceration that he either got in a fight or from having so many ticks.

The records he's coming with say they treated him with Advantix on the 21st, but I don't smell anything and he still has ticks. I pulled five of them off at the clinic. 

He was neutered on Friday, so I can't give him a bath for two weeks. His incision is inflamed and they didn't send any pain meds, which is unbelievable to me. The poor guy. He tried to bite the vet, too, when he was rubbing in the salve. Dr. said he was probably in a lot of pain.

So, I have pain meds, salve, and antibiotics to give him.

He's not housebroken. Cindy thought he was, but he peed twice in the house already. Will definitely crate him tomorrow.

He's been great getting along with the other dogs and cats

His tail is one big mat, and he's dirty but doesn't smell. 

This one might be the first one I send to a professional groomer.

Otherwise he's very sweet. Follows me everywhere, walks decently on the leash. He kind of circles a bit, but doesn't pull. He's afraid of the cars going by, yet appears to want to chase a bike. at least it looked like he thought about it when one went by us. We were in the grass and when he saw it, he started to lunge, but remembered he was on the leash. Will have to keep an eye on that.
His vet record also doesn't show heartworm test or rabies, so will go back for that in two weeks.

Jinny's first night in her new home

Jinny's new dad picked her up Thursday afternoon and off they went through rush hour traffic. I forgot to give them her vet records, so will mail them on Monday.

Her mom reports:

Jinny seems to be adjusting really well. She is eating, wags her tail when any of us come by her, wants to be near us (will lay down by where we are) and seems to enjoy the walks/being outside. She even lets our 3 yr old hold the leash and doesn't try to get away (Brad is right there ofcourse). She is very good on the leash, doesn't pull and walks right by us. 

Our daughter Kaelyn is ecstatic. She already says she loves Jinny and is very into helping with her. They seem to be hitting it off. It was difficult to settle Kaelyn down last night so she'd go to bed... and she got up at 5am to find the dog! :)

Gizmo the cat is not as happy, but they will get used to each other. They both seem to be curious of the other. And Gizmo isn't in hiding as much as I thought she would be.

I attached a picture from last night when Jinny arrived. She seems like a very good dog.  Brad took today off so he can spend time with her. I think they are going to the dog park this morning so she can run around with out a leash.

So things are great so far! Thank you for all your help with this.

Then Friday morning from Dad:

Jinny and I did go to the dog park.  There were around 6 dogs there.  I had her on the leash for a minute to see how she would do.  She did just fine and had a great time running with the obviously more energetic dogs.  I forgot to bring something to pick up the poop.  Whoops, I need to adjust myself.  Fortunately the park does have spares.  So now we're home and Jinny is headed for a nap.

#15 Bunker

Onto the next. The need is there, so I'm losing Jinny on Thursday and gaining Bunker on Saturday (tentative).

Bunker is a 4 year old sable and white intact male. He will be neutered on Friday. He is good with kids and has lived with 6-12 year olds. He also lived with 2 adults. The shelter could not confirm whether he is good with dogs and cats. They did say he is friendly, moderately vocal and has a moderate activity level. He is shy at first, but then warms up once he gets to know you. He was a stray and has not been picked up by his owner. If not picked up, he will be released to MWCR on April 28 and he will then have a ride to Minneapolis.

Adopted!

Jinny met with a family a week ago, Sunday. We were originally going to meet at the dog park in Bloomington, but the weather was rainy and stormy, actually (then woke up to snow on Monday morning!). They have a little girl, almost three, and Jinny took to them right away. Put her head in Brad's lap, like she knew she needed to win them over. Later Brad had the daughter in his lap and was letting her fall backwards, while he held onto her hands. Her giggles attracted all the dogs and Jinny kept trying to lick her face.

I did find out that Jinny comes from a house with five kids, between the ages of 11 and 11 months. They also had a german shepherd and no yard. They got her from a shelter a year ago. Jinny had taken to herding the kids, so was surrendered.

I took her to the vet last Monday and he thinks she must have stepped in something, a chemical, or nettles. It's just her front feet that are irritated. He gave us a spray to use each night and the redness is going away. I still think it's from the added exercise she's getting at my house, too. Her feet seem to bother her more after we've been to the dog park. But each time we go she seems to do better. No more laying down. We'll be able to go tonight for one more time with her. Her adopting family is going to pick her up on Thursday. 

Woodson and Jinny 2

Sorry, my phone goes off.

Woodson and Jinny 1

Updated with Jinny & Bunker

Pictures of fosters with general dates I had them.

#15 Bunker (May 2012)

#14 Jinny (April 2012)

#13 Rocket (February 2012)

#12 Bruno (December 2011) now Woodson and adopted by me!

 #11 Desi (November 2011)

#10 Mac (August 2011)

#9 Prairie (May 2011)

#8 Diamond (September 2010)

#7 Swiper (July 2010)

#6 Becca (May 2010)

#5 Fergus (March 2010)

#4 Cody (December 2009)

#3 Dolly (October 2009)

#2 Baron (August 2009)

#1 Janis (June 2009)

Jinny pictures

Settling in

On the fourth day, Jinny speaks. 

We walk in yesterday afternoon and, oh my, she was barking her greeting with the best of them. Then continued to bark as I walked her. I guess she was making up for lost time. 

She continues to be so sweet and gentle. I'm still leaving her loose when we're gone. I feed Brett and Woodson  in the garage, then get them kenneled up and feed Jinny. She won't eat if I'm standing there, but when I walk away, she goes over to eat. I haven't tested her for food aggression, only because if I walk back over she steps away. So I suppose that would mean she's not food aggressive. 

We have some running around to do this afternoon, but I'd like to get back to the dog park. It may be just me as KJ has plans, but should be okay. With just Brett and Woodson, it's work to get them out of the car without getting away, because they are so excited. I make them all sit for a minute before they get out. I'll try to get more pictures.
Last night Woodson sat in front of me for the longest time begging for attention. Jinny is the second foster now since Woodson became permanent. I sometimes wonder what my own dogs think when so many dogs come and go. I'm not the kind of person who puts too much into what dogs think. I think I've written about this before. I'm fully in the 'living in the moment' camp, when it comes to dogs. They basically take what's coming at them, deal with it, even if it means retreating, or lashing out, and are done with it. Definitely creatures of opportunity. But, as with people, some dogs are insecure, some are confident. Brett is the latter, I believe because we got him as a puppy, so he really only knows one home. Thor was there when we got Brett so I do think he wonders where Thor went, otherwise, he sees the fosters coming and going as normal.
Woodson, though, was a stray, long enough to be insecure about his surroundings. He came to our house with Brett and Desi, stayed after Desi left, then saw Rocket come and go, and now with Jinny's arrival, Woodson seems to be a little more insecure.
It could also be that Woodson is used to being the 'baby of the family', and with Jinny's arrival, she falls into this role while she's here.
So many dynamics.

Pet Expo slide show

Slideshow from MWCR at the 2012 Twin Cities Pet Expo

Foster #14 - Jinny

My overnight foster has turned into an actual foster. Jinny's scheduled foster family had a family emergency, so I offered to keep her and even though they were really looking forward to fostering her, they accepted.

I wasn't looking to foster this month, as I've got some training for work to do that basically has me working seven days a week for three weeks, but Jinny has been really easy to foster, housebroken and she's already vetted and spayed, so it's just learning her personality for her future family. We left her loose in the house today, and because I was rushed getting out the door, I forgot to lock up the garbage and pantry cabinet doors, so we'll see when we get home if she's trustworthy! 

We took her to the dog park Sunday afternoon and she absolutely loved it. Even another guy mentioned how much she seemed to be enjoying it. She chased this little dog forever, running in circles around it. Much faster than I thought she'd be. She's a bit on the hefty side. Fluffy coat, but definitely needs to lose some pounds. It's an effort for her to rise from laying down.

Afterwards, Jinny was licking and licking her paws. Looking at them, they are quite red. I don't think she cut them on anything, what I think is that she's not had an active life, so they're tender, and when she steps down on her feet, because of her weight, I can see them spreading, so I think she stretched the skin to almost ripping, so to speak. She was quite stiff later Sunday. Yesterday the stiffness seems to have subsided, but she was still walking gingerly. Today seems much better. 

She won't do her business on the tie-out, so I walk her across the street in the park. 

She's a very sweet dog.

Edit: We got home to an intact house! Looks like she won't have to be crated at all.

Overnight foster

I've got so much going on this month that I decided it wouldn't be good to add a foster until May. But I got a temporary foster yesterday. Just for over night really. Another member picked her up in Willmar at the same shelter I picked Rocket up from. I think she originally started out in South Dakota, but I'm not sure. Her name is Jinny. She was posted on Craig's List saying the family had a new baby and Jinny was too nippy for their comfort. As herders, Collies are nippy. 

I drove to Hutchinson, a small town I'd never been to before. I always thought of Hutch as an outer ring burb beyond Minnetonka somewhere. It's actually an hour west and definitely not a burb. Ridgewater College is there. I know them from my days at the newspaper reporting their sports results. I need to look at a map to know for sure, but I think the Crow River runs through town. It's a very typical small town, with an actual main street. 

We get back home and it had been raining so no visit to the dog park. There was a small squabble between Jinny and Woodson. I didn't see it happen, but both dogs were in a corner between my desk, bed and wall, so I think one of them, probably Jinny, felt cornered. Nothing since. She's pretty quiet, actually, but that's common with a new foster. They are often confused and a bit shell shocked when they first come in. Especially the ones who come directly from a home. The strays mostly seem happy to be inside! 

She could definitely stand to lose a few pounds. Fluffy, but pudgy. And camera shy. I don't know what it is about fosters and cameras, but most of them seem to slink off when I get the camera out!

April newsletter

Read the April newsletter here:
http://www.mwcr.org/Newsletters/newsletter.pdf


Lots of great information and pictures!