OSPCA volunteering

In August I connected with the manager of the Muskoka OSPCA and asked about volunteering to spend time walking, training, and generally socializing the dogs. It took a little while to get organized, but I've gone pretty much every week for the past 6 months.

I've met some pretty awesome dogs, and a few who definitely pulled at my heartstrings. A few others who drove me crazy. I'm certainly learning what I like in a dog and what I don't. While I tend to prefer herding dogs, there have been a few anomalies who have been phenomenal dogs. Good thing I have no room for more animals in my apartment! That will all change when I move to a house with a fenced yard, hopefully in the spring. Kidding...I'll likely hold out for another Aussie, a few years down the road. I do enjoy helping the local dogs, and hopefully teaching them a few core skills, like sit and wait, to help them acclimatize to their adoptive families.

Generally when I get to the shelter, I check in to see if there are any dogs who can't be walked (usually due to recent surgeries), and who is most in need of a walk. Usually these are the dogs who are super high energy, or really nervous and in need of extra socialization. I take them out into the little off-leash pen and let them get their zoomies out, hopefully at the same time learning that I have lots of tasty treats and that they can offer things like sits to get them! Then I pop them on a leash and take them out on the little trail behind the shelter. It only takes about 10 minutes to walk the trail, I wish it was a longer route. Leash walks are sometimes successful and sometimes super frustrating, depending on the dog, their food drive, and their existing leash skills. 

I plan on continuing to volunteer indefinitely, and eventually to help further develop their volunteer program.

This little female was super cute, very friendly and outgoing. Some type of large breed mix. Already adopted, but I always try to spend some time with puppies when they are in :)

Porter was a 3 yr old boxer cross (nudge nudge - doesn't look anything like a boxer to me) who totally stole my heart. He was surrendered by an owner who could not afford the vet bill to remove porcupine quills from his poor pooches face :( He was in the shelter a number of weeks, and was the most gentle dog I've ever met.

Teddy was a 10 year old spaniel...this little old man had enthusiasm and ball drive to spare. If I wasn't in an apartment, I would have taken him home in a heartbeat.

on-leash reactivity

On-leash reactivity was something I learned a lot about in a short period of time when I was fostering Ollie, who was extremely reactive to both dogs and people. I found this video to help a friend who is currently dealing with it in her labrador.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMLrYaoxNOs

Although neither Piper nor Ace are particularly reactive, I still think about counter-conditioning and keeping them under threshold, and I am more willing to make the space they need. Probably why I rarely have leash-walking problems anymore, since my dogs are certainly not perfect.

foster failure

Well, I must admit, Ollie is a foster failure. When most people say that, it means they just cannot give the dog up and decide to keep it. But that's not what I mean. I am sending Ollie on to another foster family - I cannot keep him until he is adopted. I have failed in providing even a temporary home for him. Despite how horrendous he behaved in the beginning, I am giving him up simply because life moves forward, and I need a break from him before the next chapter begins.

Ollie's behaviour has improved tremendously in the two and a half months he has been with me. He is now fairly comfortable with Archie, still occasionally chasing him but he calls off very easily. We have developed a routine (relying very heavily on games of fetch) and he has relaxed in his barking. Still annoying though, I must admit.

Ollie curled up in the blue armchair, watching me.

In truth, the only thing we have made no progress with are his reactions to other dogs when out for a walk. His barking fits are so focused and intense he scares me. Nothing I can do will break his focus. We spent several weeks working with other dogs on leash and he made quite a bit of progress, even being able to walk beside my friend's German Shepherd after only three sessions, however he begins all over with a new dog. So when we go for walks I take him to a nearby heritage cemetery, where we can do obedience drills and practice heeling without worrying about the dog that may be around the corner. It is a little odd, but that is the only place I am comfortable walking him.

Since I am heading out for vacation next week, the timing was right to give him back. I hope his next foster home is with someone more confident, who can help him overcome his issues with other dogs so he can find his forever home!

ollie the terrible

Well. It has been a turbulent three weeks, I must admit. Ollie the Australian Shepherd has been with me almost a month now. He is an interesting fellow. He's about 6 weeks older than Ace, but acts more like a 1 year old.

Ollie mouths, jumps on people, chases my cat and barks. He gets nervous and barks at people, gets excited and barks at dogs, gets anxious and barks at the people upstairs, and finally, gets playful and barks at Archie. Have I mentioned that I HATE BARKING???

But really, he is getting better. Just very slowly. I'm hoping I will start to actually enjoy having him here soon, but for right now, he's still a pain in the butt.

He's very driven, which I was expecting. But he reminds me of a little kid, the way he always has to win. He throws a bit of a tantrum if he doesn't win. His biggest problem is that he focuses on the wrong things, and I have a hard time getting him to focus back on me. But I think that is a bonding issue as well - he'll get better as he's with me longer, and likely have to start again with the next person.

I was in touch with the coordinator today, trying to get his status to move up. After almost a month, they still had not started looking for a home for him, or advertised him as up for adoption. Now I'm happy to have him here, but he is a very trying dog, and I would like to see him placed permanently earlier rather than later.

So his bio is written, and hopefully it goes up soon!

imminent arrival

It appears my first ARPH rescue dog will arrive next Sunday! After years of thinking and months of planning, I have officially been approved as an ARPH foster family. Yay!

Ollie is my intended first foster dog, a young male with black tri colouring. Housebroken, crate-trained, good with kids and other dogs - he will likely only be with me for a few weeks, but I think he will make for a great first rescue foster!

As you may know I've pretty much been obsessed with Australian Shepherds for a few years now, and I'm hoping they will live up to my expectations :)

foster application submitted!

Well, it's official. I sent in my application to foster for Aussie Rescue last Thursday.

It's been about two years in the works, and I can't wait to hear back! My apartment has been so quiet since Willow left, I need more doggie challenges! I've been in touch with the coordinator several times in the past week doing reference checks for adoptive homes, and she mentioned that my references are really good, so I'm hoping they'll do a home visit in the next few weeks, and that I might get a foster dog by the end of April :)

I do have one concern with the process though. As far as I know I will be expected to pay the dog's vet bills and be reimbursed at a later date. I can afford basic exams, but I do not have enough spare money to spend on a spay/neuter... I hope they will be flexible is this. Maybe they have an ARPH credit card, or another family will pay the cost and submit the claim. We will see. It's possible that even if I am approved, I won't actually be able to foster until the fall, when my OSAP comes in and I have a little extra money in the bank.

But... I'm hopeful it all works out! I've essentially been obsessed with Aussies for years now, I can't wait to learn more about them.

a great day at the pet store

Had a great dog fix today at work! I probably would not have gotten much homework done anyways, so it was nice to get to play with some puppies and make some money. I got to pet a few little babies including 2 mini Dashunds and a German Shorthaired Pointer. I got to visit with a beautiful Golden Retriever named Barrett who I hadn't seen since he was just a little guy (he's 9 months now), and another little havanese who I used to see about every month or so, but haven't seen since before Christmas.

Many days there are predominant breeds to come in, it's really strange how it works sometimes. Some days we'll see three Great Danes in the store, other days it's German Shepherd, or Labradors. Maybe it has something to do with weather? Or mud? Today was border collies (at least three!) which was neat because I rarely see purebred border collies. And in a year at the pet store, I've only ever seen one collie.

Stormy was 14 year old border collie who came in for a visit, amazingly she had the energy and flexibility to put her paws up on the counter... I was very impressed. His owner was a youngish guy who said she had done lots of agility and flyball in her younger years, no surprise with a border collie. I thought  flyball (and frisbee) dogs tended towards tons of arthritis in their older years because of the impacts, but I guess not always! Happy to be proven wrong... maybe it is a dog sport I should consider with my next pooch?

I've been down to one dog for almost two months now, and I'm still missing my Willow. Can't help but think about my next dog prospect: an Aussie Rescue foster dog. I'd still like to foster a few to decide if I want to go the purebred route or if I want a heinz-57. Worried about passing the application process already, and I won't even be applying until August!

Ugh, now that I'm worried all over again, I better get back to my schoolwork. Too many distractions!

are rescues too tough on potential adopters?

Here's a link to a great post by Retrieverman:
http://retrieverman.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/some-dog-rescue-organizations-have-too-many-quibbling-requirements-for-their-adopters/

I think it can go both ways... rescues can be very tough on potential adopters, and needlessly exclude many great families. In fact I was turned down twice by my local humane society before I finally was able to adopt Archie. There was a huge process of getting my landlords permission, having all my roommates meet him, and getting a letter from my parents (even though I was 19), all because I was a student. However a friend of mine (also a student, living in a rental with roommates) went to the same institution, picked out and adopted a cat in one day. It all depends on who you talk to, I suppose.

However, I do agree with the pet always going back to the rescue, if it doesn't work out with the original adoptive family. Although you may be able to find another home for your pet, who is to say they will not turn around and give the pet to someone else? And then that person does the same thing? An animal could easily end up in a bad situation... rescuers love their fosters and just want to ensure they are well taken care of.

Thoughts?

where is the line

...between rough play and dog aggression?

Tonight I took Ace and Willow over to a classmate's house to play with her one year old bluetick coonhound. First impression: absolutely adorable dog, just a little smaller than Willow. Next impression: guarder.

No no sooner arrive than the dog is snarling and chasing Willow away from her toy. The toy gets taken away, and the two girls play pretty well for the next 10 minutes, although it is clear that this dog is fairly dominant. At this point my classmate tells me that she is also possessive of the deck, and the space under the deck. Wonderful.

Shortly after, the snarling begins. Willow is soon pinned and yelping, fights back to get up, and is promptly pinned again. I start yelling and run down to break it up, trying to grab my classmate's dog by the back end (note to self - research how to break up a dog fight without getting bitten). My classmate comes down to get her dog, and I expected to hear something along the lines of "I'm so sorry, she's never done anything like that before!" Instead, she tells me that they just needed to work it out, and not to worry as there was no harm done.

I don't know this classmate super well and I'd never met her dog before, and I didn't want to be rude, although my instinct was telling me to leave right then. We stayed for another 10 minutes or so, but the two dogs didn't really play again until Ace started to play. Willow joined him (as per usual), and I had to step in a few times as they tend to gang up on other dogs. I made it clear through my actions that I did not tolerate humping, and once the other dog was down I called mine off. I believe that bullying between dogs is not to be tolerated.

This situation reminded me of an article I read, off a link on the ARPH website (http://www.ontarioaussies.ca/Aussie%20Links.html). The article is about managing a multi-dog household (http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/archives/many.txt), and specifically I thought of this section copied below:

Every time pack management questions arise, several people will suggest
that you allow the dogs to work things out alone.  They'll assure you that
this is the only way to go.  Sometimes this can work, but this is dependent
on the breed, individual temperaments and respective sizes of the dogs
involved.  Use your better judgement.  Don't let a Rottweiller freely go at
a Yorkie or a 2 year old pick on a 15 year old.  Often these remarks are
followed by someone telling how they lost a dog (evenly matched in breed
and size to it's opponent) to a dogfight by following this philosophy.

As I left, my classmate suggested next time we meet somewhere else and let the dogs run. 

I agree, but in my head I think "not with Willow". Interestingly, this is the second dog I've 

introduced Ace to in the past month, and he has reacted with indifference. I wonder if this is 

part of the maturing process, or is he just feeling beaten by my constant corrections for 

humping and rough play? Will have to test these theories. 

To conclude, in my classmate's mind the dogs were just playing, however to me it seemed 

an awful lot like a dog fight.

re-homing dogs

While I believe that owning a dog is a lifelong commitment, I do understand that there are times when a dog must be re-homed. This does not mean dropped off at a shelter, but it could include working with a rescue organization or your vet to network and find a more suitable home for your dog. Sometimes a dog may have to be re-homed if the family situation changes (increasing number of children often means decreasing amount of time for your dog), financial situation changes, or other unknown factors that crop up. When I was a kid my family had to re-home our dog, because my parents just could not figure out how to deal with her anxiety issues in a humane way.

However, I have met a few people who have re-homed dogs for reasons that I cannot comprehend. For example, people who have re-homed an older dog when it did not get along with their newer dog. And these are pets, not working dogs in any capacity. While I believe that working dogs should still be loved and cherished, I understand that there are different standards for dogs who serve a purpose. For example, I could understand a family re-homing their pet border collie to another family who could guarantee work for the dog. Likewise, service dogs who have been retired and their human was unable to care for them as a pet. 

Oops, better get back on track. The point of this post is...

How can you choose to give up a dog you have loved for the past six years, to keep a dog you have had for the past two months? Shouldn't seniority count for something? If anyone can explain this to me, I would love to hear from you.

I suppose I should remember that we live in a throw-away society, and that our pets are often treated with less respect than our cell phones.

dog aggression in a multi-dog house

Last week, while my apartment was being renovated, I stayed with my friend and fellow puppy-raiser. Let me tell you, it is quite the production to pack up two dogs and a cat for a week-long visit, and not an experience I care to repeat frequently. My friend was as accomodating as possible, considering the dog drama she deals with on a regular basis.

Her canines include:
1 Belgian Shepherd, Summer, pet - dog aggressive
1 Smooth Collie, Wizard, ADS foster - friendly
1 Labrador, Maggie, Lab Rescue foster - dog aggressive

Since she introduced the Lab Rescue foster three months ago, her life has been one of baby gates, crates, and aborted attacks between Summer and the Maggie. Wizard has learned enough to be able to float between the two, however this past week he joined my pack on the upper floor of the house. Maggie stays in the living room or the car, and Summer now lives permanently in the kitchen. My pack lived on the second floor, so to take them out for a pee, we first had to move Maggie to the car, or through another baby gate into the basement. The animosity between Summer and Maggie is so extreme that a crate has to be placed in front of the gate to ensure there is zero contact between them.

After several days in this house, I was moving Maggie from the basement to the living room, after having put Willow, Wizard and Ace in the car. The crate was moved further back than was normal, but I figured Maggie knew the routine enough by now that if I opened the gate she would move into her regular space. Boy was I wrong. As soon as I opened the gate, Maggie dashed in the other direction, towards Summer. The gate sprang open, and I had to try to pull Maggie off Summer before she could do serious injury. Luckily I was able to grab her collar and pull her away before any damage could be done.

Now, Maggie is a very sweet dog, one on one. She is fun-loving and affectionate, and very food motivated so in principle she should be easy to train. However, she has been in and out of various foster homes for the past year. At one point she was adopted out, but someone stepped on her and broke her back leg, so she was taken back by the rescue. Her original owner bought her at a pet store, and surrendered her to the rescue becasue he didn't realize she would get so big. Maggie has been through about seven homes now, most in the past year. See her story here: http://www.lab-rescue.ca/Adopt_Me.html

I cannot imagine having to live my life constantly jumping over baby gates, crates, and the fear the one dog could injure another. I have heard of pit bull rescues operating like this, and I have a newfound respect for this type of dedication. I have to wonder about the quality of life for dogs who live in such stressful environments - yes they are better than in a kennel, or tied up in a backyard, but when the patience of both dogs and humans is shorter, how much can you really accomplish?