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AdminPermalink Reply by LM Fowler - Admin on January 19, 2009 at 10:36pm

Dear New Rescue Parent,

As someone who has rescued two dogs (three if you count the one I rescued from my brother), my best advice to a new rescue owner is … be patient. When our first rescue came to us, she was young. At only five or six months old, our Doodle Girl, Ginger, was scared and very nervous around everyone. By having someone from the family home with her constantly for the first few days, she was quickly brought out of her shell. She took a few days to let us all touch her. I believe in training with love and I am not big on crate training, so it is important to be there to take the new puppy out every 15 to 20 minutes. It’s like having a baby in the house and some accidents will happen.

At first Ginger was scared of everything. She didn't understand what grass was and was afraid of it. She would freeze up in place and refuse to move. If the wind whistled or it was raining, she would start to shake. I had to keep her corraled in the kitchen until she became comfortable with me. Her first night home, I had to hold her on my lap to sleep. She attached herself to Cody, our Bijon, and he helped to socialize her. By petting or brushing him, she saw that it was OK. She started to come around. Over about a month or so, she began to feel safe and comfortable. She is now loving and loves to cuddle and kiss.

When I got the call about another Doodle rescue, I was excited but not sure what to expect. I’d never had three dogs at once before. It was suggested that I give it a couple of weeks and call it a Foster and now I’m glad that I did. Just like people, dogs have different personalities and these three did. My older dog, Cody is seven and somewhat set in his ways. My Doodle Girl was more laid back and lovey-dovey and the new guy, Jack wasn’t very welcome at first. He and the seven year old battled from the minute he came in. Ginger knew she was Top Dog in this house and set out to make sure Jack was in his place. Jack on the other hand was the largest of the three and was not about to be last on any list and he let everyone know he was not going to be last, everytime.

The first few days were rough. Jack didn’t know the family routines. He didn’t know what he could or could not do. He didn’t even know where he was able to sleep or relieve himself. We tried to “get into his head” and think about what he was thinking. Again, I made sure someone was with them at all times (mainly me) but there were times that I thought, “this is not going to work.” At about the five day mark, I still thought this was not going to work out.

As day six and seven came, though, things started to level out. Routines became routine. There were no more accidents and hierarchy was established. Ginger allowed Jack to be leader sometimes but took her place at other times. Life got easier for all of us. My kids were falling in love with Jack and so was I. Because he was a rescue, he had been hungry for a week. As he started to fill out he was less aggressive. He knew where his next meal was coming from. Thinking like him, we realized that his past made him act the way he did and now that he was settling into his future, he was a great dog. By the two week mark, Jack was home for good.

I am so glad that it was suggested we give this a two week trial. Thinking Jack was a foster and not an adoption we were able to bring him into the family slowly. If I had given him back after a few days we would have missed out on seeing the real Jack. The personality he showed the first few days was not the real Jack. It was the fear of the unknown Jack. It was the, “I don’t know the rules, pecking order, or where I belong” Jack. It was literally at the two week mark that Jack felt safe and let us know it. He now is a happy, well mannered boy.

A great training book that I use is “The Loved Dog,” by Tamar Geller. If you plan on making this little life a part of the family, the book teaches training through love. It gives some great tips on teaching manners to dogs through love and caring, not threats or punishment. Our Ginger is a sweet, loving one year old today. Jack has learned very quickly to sit, come and stop in just two weeks. Even Cody has learned some new “tricks.”

I feel somewhat like an expert now in rescuing dogs. I have educated myself in training, feeding and raising my “pack.” With the dog food scare of a few months ago, the problems with immunizations and the lack of punishing laws for animal abusers, potential adoption families should really be aware that they have to be the advocate for their pets. “Think like a dog,” and life will be easier. What do dogs really need to eat? What are all these vaccinations doing to our animals? Why do some people need to hurt or abandon helpless animals? This is my new “soapbox” and all pet owners should learn all they can if they want to really be successful pet owners.

Enough preaching; “BE PATIENT” with a rescued dog is my best advice. You don’t know what baggage they bring to you and they don’t know what to expect from you. Give it some time to teach each other. Like I said before, two weeks is the magic day. Teach through love and you will have a faithful and true friend for life.

Love,

The Fowler Pack

Lynne, Dennis, Sam and Dan & The Fur Members: Ginger, Jack, Cody

AdminPermalink Reply by LM Fowler - Admin on January 19, 2009 at 10:36pm

Reply by gene on October 19, 2008 at 9:52am
I'm am currently doing my first foster. Although I am the proud owner of two rescues, and 1 doodle from a breeder, I have never experienced a male dog aggressive dog like my foster Sera. Today is day 4 and the end of her decompression period. I did a reintroduce at and fence today and Sera and my Jonah are still not close to being put together. I may try with Miko my female later today and see it the hit it off. Maybe Miko can use her female charms on the boys and tell them it's alright

AdminPermalink Reply by LM Fowler - Admin on January 27, 2009 at 8:34pm

Advocate

Sickly and starved lying out there in the cold
this beautiful creature who's story is untold
all he wanted was your approval and your love
you leave him to die a problem you rid of
if you could just see the sadness in his eyes
as he lie there helpless and slowly he dies
he was so cute when you brought him home
with his wagging tale yet now he's alone
you swore to love him and give him your care
how can you stand to see him just lying there
you would rather let him suffer the grimmest fate
than pay money out of your pocket no matter the rate

you dump her off in the streets with all of her kin
when he mother gave birth to her it was such a sin
a pregnancy you could have prevented but didn't have time
now she stands out in the street covered in grime
she dodges the cars wondering which one is you
you abandoned her there and she hasn't a clue
she just wants to find her way back home to her mom
and curl up with her brothers where they all belong
her tummy starts to growl and she whimpers helplessly
the cars speed by and she watches anxiously
she believes you'll come back, what else would you do
she believes you love her as much as she loves you

locked in a dark room in a house all alone
he meows loudly wondering when you'll come home
he can hardly remember when he last had a meal
he misses the way being loved used to feel
wondering to himself if he's done something wrong
when you left home he didn't think you'd be long
he looks out the window hoping your alright
you don't think about him when you sleep at night
you could have found him a home that would have been nice
instead you left him alone to fight for his own life
he finds a place to lay down in a corner of the room
he still believes that you will come back for him soon

mamma teaches the babies how to catch a mouse
she remembers the day you threw them out of the house
she shows them where to hide from the owls at night
and when they see humans to stay out of sight
she has finally lost her faith in all of mankind
she always sleeps in the warmest place she can find
worried about her kittens she fights many a foe
scared to death of the day when she'll take the fatal blow
she walks with a limp from the worst of her fights
but her family is safe so that makes it alright
you shoo her away when you she her in the yard
she glares back at you as she hides under the car

You pit them against each other force them to fight
you laugh when they kill one another thinks its alright
they willing go into the pen all bravery and skill
if only they understood you don't care if they're killed
they do it all simply for the love of their master
there loyalty making their life such a disaster
even if they win they will be scarred forever
after they recover they again face this endeavor
they make money for you yet you don't care about them
you make them face death again and again
you should be put into a pen and sentenced to death
then maybe you would understand what they are faced with

all these innocent lives simply laid to waste
all these beautiful creatures who feel so misplaced
the people responsible for their love and their care
were the ones to betray them to a life so unfair
left out in the cold or dumped off in the street
left alone in a house forced to hunt or not eat
pitted against each other in a fight to the death
sad and all alone as they take their last breaths
wishing they had someone who would love them again
or wishing that there misery would just come to an end
will you step up and be an advocate for the ones in need
or will you ignore them and serve your own greed?
this is my plea for the ones who have no voice
would you help them at all if you had the choice?

Author: Melody Albright