Well - it's been a long time since I've added anything to this blog! Mainly because I haven't had another foster dog as Jill (my own dog) has been poorly. Vet suggested that she have a break from other dogs for awhile but I think I will get another one after Christmas.

Best behaved Dog

Jill was unable to go to the Four Paws Christmas party so I took Misty - my grand-dog instead.She was very good and voted "Best Behaved Dog" on the day!! It was a bit hard to get decent photos but here is one on her best behaviour.

All I want for Christmas lots of sleep!!

Four Paws also held their annual Santa Paws Christmas photo shoot. Jill was quite happy to sit on Santa's knee - for a few seconds. I think it was actually "Grandson of Santa!









Another great shot came through my emails the other day showing the ultimate in "Doggie Day Care"

It's a dog's life!!

Foster Friend 2 -  Effie

Effie

I only waited two days before the next phone call came through. I was asked to take a little Australian silky terrier cross named Effie. She was 12 years old and her elderly owner had passed away. This situation is very common as you would imagine.She was a funny little thing - looked almost like her mum or dad had been a cattle dog.Quite peculiar actually!

After Barclay however, she was a dream. Quite content to sleep in the laundry at night thank heavens! She and Jill were fine together by which I mean they ignored each other which was quite okay by me. She didn't fret when I left the house though when I was home she liked to follow me around.She had one strange habit - she would watch me in the shower (why I don't know) and when I stepped out, she would rush over and lick my legs!  Quite off putting actually. I would shoo her away but back she would come.I could let her off the leash on the beach and she would always come back. She also related well to my grandchildren Naomi and Aidan and their little dog Misty. So things were going well. 

Misty and Effie

Rather unexpectedly an adoption offer came through. It is often hard to adopt these older dogs. The prospective owner was a professional lady who already had a rescue dog and wanted another as a companion for it as she was away during the day. So she brought her dog around to meet Effie and all went well till the very end when we were all in the kitchen saying goodbye and Effie suddenly went for the other dog in a most aggressive way. I was quite shocked as she had always been so calm! The lady left rather quickly and I thought I would never hear from her again but a few days later she rang and said she would still like to take Effie on trial. This time she would  come on her own. She had arranged for her other dog to spend the night at her parents' place so she and Effie could get to know each other.This seemed too good to be true!  She arrived with a lovely new collar,lead and harness and all was going really well. Effie was doing all the right things and responding beautifully. At the end we were down on the floor putting Effie's harness on when poor old Jill meandered across  to see what was going on. Guess what! Effie attacked Jill and bit her on the nose which drew blood. I lost it and smacked Effie which was not really appropriate but no-one hurts my Jill!  The lady left without Effie (I don't blame her) who wouldn't come near me for a couple of hours (I don't blame her either).

So that was all very disappointing. Did Effie know what I was trying to do? Or is she just very jealous? I kept her for another week and everything was fine again but I didn't feel really easy with the situation. I took her back to another foster carer and said I was happy to take on another one but needed a couple of weeks break.  I notice that she is up on the Four Paws website for adoption. I really hope she finds a loving home soon - but maybe in a one dog family.
I will keep you posted when my next adventure starts.

Cheers
Marilyn - Dog Diva

Jack

I had been thinking about sharing my home with another dog for quite awhile. Since losing little Jack in March at the ripe old age of 14+ years, Jill (my old fox terrier) and I decided we would like another doggie friend. Well - I don't really know how keen Jill was!!! As she is 14 years old too with several health issues including blindness, she prefers the quiet life now. But I decided to push forward with the great plan and register for fostering with Four Paws Animal Rescue.

On August 24, I received a phone call requesting I provide foster care for a Bichon Frise X Poodle named Barclay. He was only six years old which I was not too keen on as Jill is well past the stage of playing around with doggie friends. But as this was the first request to foster, I was inclined to say "Yes". Barclay had been dumped at the RSPCA on the Sunshine Coast some weeks earlier. They had decided that he would not be suitable for rehoming so he was on death row -24 hours to go! But a member of Four Paws Animal Rescue happened to see him and decided he was worth a try. So he was desexed, micro-chipped, treated for fleas, worms, ticks etc and then offered to me to provide temporary care. It quickly became apparent as to why the RSPCA were not keen to adopt him out, cute and gorgeous though he was. He suffered from separation anxiety - BIG TIME!

Barclay

If I left the house,it was to accompanying wails of desolation! He watched me in the shower, on the toilet and ended up sleeping on a doggie bed next to me at night. If I stirred and looked down, I was met by two watchful eyes - just checking I wasn't trying to sneak away. On one occasion when I was out, Barclay managed to escape from my dog-proof yard and was found by a neighbour wandering down the street. Thank goodness I have patient neighbours! The vet put him on Valium to be administered an hour before a stressful event. Well - as leaving the room Barclay was in was stressful, he would have been doped up to his little eyeballs. I thought about taking the Valium myself - just joking!!

Jill and Barclay

I had to go to Brisbane for a couple of nights and as there was no way I could take Barclay with me, he went to another foster carer nearby for the duration. Whilst there, a local resident fell in love with him and adopted him!! Amazing!! I was very happy for the little fellow and quite happy for Jill and I too -  I must admit. Barclay and Jill had coexisted quite successfully without a great deal of interaction. As far as I know all is going well still. He had been with me about 12 days.

So my first experience was a little daunting. But no way was that going to put me off! So I waited expectantly for the next phone call.

Cheers
Marilyn - Dog Diva