I think that the most common reason for failed adoptions is people's failure or refusal to make even minimal changes in their own homes or lifestyles to accommodate a new family member. The most ridiculous example is the woman who returned Biscuit because he got into her trash. I don't know if it never occurred to her to put the trash in a closet, or if she was just unwilling to do so, but it told me that the woman wasn't smart enough to own a dog. That's the type of person who liked the idea of having a dog, but not the reality.
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| Sitting with Bo on the front porch |
I can't do anything about the heat, but all the kennels have good shade and fans and plenty of water. Today I bought two more water tanks that are big enough for dogs to get into. They went into the triple kennel complex, one in center section with the two labs and Schatze (the female lab loved it!) and one in the new L-shaped kennel on the end with a new long haired shepherd I picked up today. I also hung some shade cloth to make more of that kennel hospitable during the day. |
| Bo in his outdoor spot |
Bo, the rottie with heartworms, is mostly staying in a crate in my office, but he still needs some outdoor time and space for short periods. I knew if I put him into one of the regular kennels adjacent to other dogs he would get too excited. The goal for post-treatment heartworm dogs is to keep their blood pressure low, which means calm and quiet. A convenient solution was to drag over the puppy kennel that we don't normally use. It's about 6' x 12', smaller than any of my regular kennels but that was perfect for Bo because we don't want him really active. It fit into the space right in front of the porch, just outside the front door, which is handy because it lets me get him downstairs and outside without encountering Gypsy. It is out of sight from all the other fosters so he doesn't get all worked up and anxious to see them. The more frequent handling is also helping him get over his fear of people. He's doing fine, no ill effects from the heartworm treatment so far at least.
Luke and Jeremy are both old guys and I worry about them in the heat, so I've taken to bringing them (and Ryland) indoors during the afternoons. That's the hottest part of the day, obviously, and it's also the time when there is the least amount of shade in the dog yard. I had been bringing them in at night too, but that's a lot of dog to move in and out twice a day, and it's ok outside at night, so I think we'll just bring them in for afternoon nap time. Luke, Jeremy, Ryland, and Bo fill my four office crates, so Trooper gives up his crate for a spot under the desk or (annoyingly) right behind my chair. Molly has the big bolster bed staked out as her territory. That's six in the office in the afternoons, Zach in the bedroom, and of course our other three downstairs.
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| Four crates in my office |
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| Molly looks innocent but looks are deceiving |
Speaking of trash dogs, our Molly is one, and I had to give up keeping waste paper baskets in the office. I keep a small one on the desk and a larger covered one elsewhere in the room because she loved to stick her head in and pull out whatever she could find, even though there was nothing edible in them. I could have just returned her to the shelter she came from, but I'm more attached to her than I am to my trash cans. The other accommodation I've had to make for Molly is keeping her company. For a long time it was her, me, and Emmylou here in the office during the days. After Emmylou died I realized that Molly didn't like to be left alone even if I just went outside. Trooper still spends time in the dog yard with the fosters, so sometimes Zachary is pressed into service as a companion or babysitter for Molly if I'm away or doing something other than sitting here with her. It doesn't have to be me, and it seems that any dog will do, but she doesn't like to be alone.
I still don't have my new computer. Today I hate FedEx and I hate Dell for using them.
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