Tilly comes to Four Paws

For about a week Tigger and I were on our own again but last weekend was a really busy one for our organisation with 8 surrenders. Christmas approaches and unfortunately many people find their pet no longer fits into their plans. It is very sad.
I agreed to take one of these dogs for a few days till it could be vet checked etc so Tilly was brought to me by her owner last Monday. She is a beautiful black cocker spaniel not even two years old.

 She would have been very expensive to purchase as she has quite a distinguished pedigree but she just didn't suit the family any more. She also has a few "issues" which I am discovering day by day. Tilly is very excitable and lacks any real training. Unfortunately she is a bit of a barker. The previous owners did put a "barking collar" on her but she barked anyway and ended up burning her neck. There were problems with the neighbours of course which also led to her surrender. Tilly follows me everywhere even to the toilet! Every time she goes into the back yard she starts barking which has led to a problem with one of my neighbours. So I keep her inside a bit which is awkward at times. I have had to day board her two days at the vets as I can't leave her on her own even with Tigger here. So she may be another candidate for the Valium like my first foster dog! She loves other dogs  and all people except if they are on a bike!!

 I can't keep her much longer so she will be going to another carer who will begin training her and hopefully manage the barking. She couldn't be adopted out yet as she would probably be handed straight back after a few days. But she is adorable! Very loving and intelligent and loves to play and run. So I think a family with older children to exercise her will be great once she settles down.

Little Sarah

Tigger is still with me though he went back to another carer whilst I was in Melbourne recently. When I returned I was asked to take another dog for a week for a carer going on holidays. So Sarah arrived.

Sarah is a young Fox Terrier cross awaiting an operation. She has an ectopic urethra. I don't know quite what that entails but it means that she "leaks"!  So the previous carer did not allow her inside for obvious reasons. This was going to prove more difficult at my place as Tigger wanders in and out all day long. So I left them both outside for most of the day but felt sorry for them come about 5.00pm. So I went and bought her a dog nappy into which you insert these ineffectual little pads. In desperation I went and bought some "human" pads and cut them up to fit. The things one does!! But it worked a charm. She then went outside overnight. She was a very good dog though very boisterous. Poor old Tigger found it hard to cope with her enthusiasm after awhile.

Four Paws will pay for an operation by a specialist to fix Sarah's problem because she will make a lovely family dog once this is done

Hotel for Dogs - Open for Business Again

Well it has been a long time since I posted a new blog on this site. I am happy to report that Tigger has made excellent progress after his cataract operation. He has to have drops in his eyes the rest of his life but he is very good about it - just sits there! Admittedly I give him a little treat afterwards so that probably helps!!  I had Tigger till the beginning of September when I had to surrender him to another carer as I was going overseas for several weeks. Naturally I had grown very fond of him by that time but I stayed firm!!Unfortunately he was not adopted out during my time away.  He really deserves a good home.
When I returned I was asked to look after two dogs whilst their carer went away for a week. So Missy and Brutus arrived.

They are a pair and can't be separated and are quite adorable. Brutus is a chocolate brown chihuahua with ADHD! He just goes at a million miles an hour. Missy is much quieter and very loving. They were rather needy and followed me everywhere around the house but were very good. They have now gone back to their previous carer who has children, I think they missed the kids.

Fancy Dress entrants from Adopt-a-Greyhound

Whilst they were with me, we had the annual Four Paws Walk for Paws which is our major fundraiser for the year. There were a few hundred dogs registered and they walked around a lake circuit. There was also a best dressed competition, obedience demonstrations and lots of stalls with all sorts of goodies for doggies. It was a great success thankfully.


After a few days off, I was asked to take Tigger back which I was happy about. He remembered this place and settled back into the routines very quickly. Unfortunately he was attacked by another dog on one of our morning walks. It was not too serious as I managed to kick the other dog quite hard (my poor foot). The stupid owners had it off leash on the footpath and obviously knew it was not social to other dogs. It only managed to get one bite in on Tigger's foot. He limped for awhile but is quite okay now physically. Naturally he is now quite scared of other dogs he meets on our walks. So I have to start rebuilding his trust again. Some people should not have dogs!!

Tigger - Showing you his injured paw.

 That's all folks. Check out the current offerings on the Four Paws website.
Cheers
The Dog Diva

Update on Tigger

Recovering in the sun

Tigger had his cataract operation last Monday on his left eye. It all went well though at this stage we don't know how well he is seeing. Vision should come between 3 and 8 days ideally. I think he can see as he is quite a different dog on our walks. He will stop and stare at a log or a free standing letter box or a person as he tries to make sense of what he is seeing. If another dog passes by, Tigger now barks at them a couple of times. He has also started to retrieve his toys which he could never do before. I don't throw them very far but it is a good sign. Things can still go terribly wrong eg. retinal detachment, infection etc but I am not going to think about that!
Tigger is wearing an Elizabethan collar and he is being very good about it. I take it off to feed him and give him a bit of a massage but I have to watch carefully that he doesn't scratch the eye etc. He is sleeping in my bedroom at present in case anything goes wrong. At some time during the night I am joined by Tigger on my bed  snuggling up close. It is very hard to sleep with someone who is wearing an Elizabethan collar!! It will be back to the laundry next week.
It's like having a new baby in the house!!

This is the photo that appeared in our local newspaper accompanying Tigger's story. I will have to start the anti-wrinkle cream!!!
Thankyou to any blog readers who donated to the Operation Fund.I know some money has been donated but I don't know from whom so please take this as my personal thanks.
I am sure it will all be well worth while.

Cheers
The Dog Diva

Hello Little Tigger

Tigger loves his food

After I returned from Melbourne, I had the grandchildren up here for a week of their holidays. I wasn't planning on fostering a dog till things settled down again but of course I received a request to do so from Four Paws. Naomi and Aidan were very keen so we went to view little Tigger at the vet practice where he was being held. We took the grand dog "Misty" along to see how well we all got on. Naturally everyone fell in love with Tigger and he with all of us so home he came. He is a 5 year old Chihuahua cross and has a beautiful temperament. He was advertised as "free to good home" on Gumtree but had only been obtained from them a month earlier as a "free to good home" dog. The problem is that he has mature cataracts in both eyes and is virtually blind. It doesn't seem to bother him much but he is constantly walking into things when out of his normal environment. Because of his relative youth and his placid temperament, Four Paws has decided to have one of the cataracts removed which costs a small fortune of course. But that's what we raise money for. His operation is on the 22nd July.The success rate is about 75% so we all have everything crossed. Tigger will remain with me until that is all sorted.

And his bed!

Yesterday the local paper came and did a photo shoot of him to accompany a story warning people of the pitfalls of obtaining "free to good home " dogs from the Internet. We also hope to raise some money towards his operation. If anyone wants to help please do so through our webpage.. All donations over $2.00 are tax deductible. The details are on the home page. Make sure you let us know that the funds are especially for Tigger.

http://www.4pawsanimalrescue.org.au/

Thanks heaps
Marilyn - the Dog Diva

Suki Update
Suki is with another foster family at present. I had her for about 6 weeks which is a long time for a dog to spend with a temporary foster carer. Naturally I became quite attached to her. I went to Melbourne for about 9 days so Suki went to another family where she has settled in quite well with two other dogs. She is a permanent foster dog with Four Paws as she does have high needs. I decided not to take her back when I returned as she has had quite a few changes in her life. Here's hoping that she continues to have a happy "old age".

Meet Old Suki

I have been away for awhile enjoying the delights of Cambodia and Vietnam and so have not had a foster dog for awhile. After settling back in, I put my hand up to have another guest at the Hotel for Dogs and within a couple of days, Suki came to join me.

Sweet but Sad Suki

She is an old girl who looks very much like my old dog Jack who went to dog heaven last year. It's a bit weird watching her around the house and garden - it's as though Jack has returned from beyond!! 


Suki was found wandering the streets and taken to the pound which contacted 4Paws Animal Rescue to see if we could take her. The vet discovered she had bladder stones, some so big they couldn't be passed naturally so she had to have an operation to remove them. One was the size of a walnut!! She would have been in a lot of pain for a long time. Poor little thing. She is very timid and also rather deaf. But she is starting to enjoy life again now and loves her walks and going in the car. She is very good - doesn't bark and sleeps in the laundry all night. She also sleeps a lot during the day. I am still trying to ascertain her behavior around children and other dogs but so far so good.
She will be put up for permanent fostering  where 4Paws continues to pick up the vet bills and food costs if required.
Suki would make a lovely quiet companion and certainly deserves some love and kindness in her senior years.

Meet Ruby

Last Tuesday whilst I was at work, I received a call from 4Paws asking if I could take another dog immediately. Her name was Ruby and she was Cavalier King Charles X Cocker Spaniel about 3 years old. She had been at the vets for a few days and having passed the physical, was ready to be fostered before being put up for adoption.  Apparently her female owner loved her to bits but the man couldn't stand her and let her know. Poor little Ruby!
So I picked her up after work and was warned she was a bit timid!  Well the poor thing was frantic - throwing herself against the door and racing from one room to another. She refused to eat and wouldn't let me near her. As it was now nighttime we just had to make the best of it. Neither of us slept that night!!

It's now a week later and Ruby has really settled down beautifully thank goodness, She did have 48 hours on Valium which helped! She sleeps in the laundry, loves walks and going in the car. Her only fault is that she is a bit of a barker when someone comes to the door or when she hears another dog bark nearby. Ruby is still quite timid around new people but she is improving. She will be advertised for adoption in a few days.

A One Night Stand!

Last weekend, in the midst of the dreadful weather, another carer had to leave the coast quickly to attend to family matters further south. I was asked to take Basil as an emergency placement. Basil is an 18 month old  Corgi X (maybe with a German Shepherd which doesn't bear thinking about!)
He was a little bewildered at being left with me but he was a great little dog. Loved to walk even in the drizzling rain. His carer picked him up the next day but I could easily have kept him longer.
It's a shame he hasn't found a permanent home as he will make a great companion.

My niece Steph sent me this great video of a dog just having the time of its life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOv-2HzNPaA

Foster Dog Number 4 - Pipi

Pipi

Pipi is a 2 year old long-haired chihuahua and a very handsome young fellow indeed. I realised that when my grand-dog,  Misty, was coming to stay for a few weeks over the Christmas holiday, she would need somone a little more stimulating than poor old Jill to keep her occupied. I requested a foster dog that was lively, robust and got on well with other dogs and children. And so Pipi came to share our home. His elderly owner had to enter a nursing home and no other family members could take him into their lives.

Pipi and Misty

He is an absolute delight. I have never had a chihuahua before and always thought they were a bit spoilt and cocky but Pipi is very loving and totally up for anything my grandchildren and Misty (grand-dog) come up with. He does have "Little Dog Syndrome"and barks ferociously at big dogs and any other dogs that show too much interest in Misty.

Pipi leaves me in the next couple of days as I have to go to Melbourne. There are a couple of prospective parents for him so hopefully by the time I get back, he has found a new and loving owner as he certainly deserves another chance.

Goodbye little Jill
Sadly Jill was put to sleep last Sunday. Life had become quite difficult for her. She had a myriad of health problems and it was a  real juggling act to keep her living a reasonably normal life. But in the end she wouldn't eat and the medications just stopped working. I am very grateful to all the staff at Greencross Vets Caloundra who kept both Jill and I functioning at times and gave me many more months of quality time with her than I expected. She was my little soulmate and I will miss her so much. Jill lived till 14 years and 4 months so that was a pretty good innings.

JIll