Kami and Pinky

Kami and Pinky, they were great for each other when they were together. I've never had two white shepherds at once. Amazingly, neither of them were insane. Kami got adopted today to a couple that met her last weekend. It's a great home with prior experience adopting rescue shepherds.

I walked out to the parking lot with them as they left. Kami was reluctant to jump into the back of their vehicle. It was higher than mine, but that wasn't the problem. She just wasn't sure she was supposed to. I went over and motioned for her to jump in and she had no problem with the vertical distance once she knew that was where she was to go. She sat nicely in the back as they drove away, unsure where she was heading of course, but Kami has never been lacking in confidence. They sent a picture of meeting their other dog when they got home and I'm sure she's well on her way to bonding.

Pinky came back home with me, but it was a wonderful first experience for her. This is a dog who had lived in a shit-filled pen in rural Virginia,  and before that on a chain. She had no reason to trust anyone, especially men, but she was wonderful with absolutely everyone today. She was a bit nervous starting out, but she had never been in a store, in a shopping center, in a suburban area. She handled it all beautifully and impressed everyone she met.

Pinky and Kami were friends and playmates, and they look very similar, but Pinky is actually the calmer of the two. She's a bit older (3-4 ish?) and that probably accounts for that. It was an excellent first public outing for her.

I also took Della along today, though obviously not for adoption purposes. She was acting a bit "off" yesterday evening and again this morning and I was concerned about leaving her home alone all day. She was still eating and drinking, running the fence line with the shepherds, and harassing Max, all of her normal repertoire, but still she wasn't acting quite normal. She got me up at 2:00 a.m. but didn't want or need to go outside. She curled up in a tight ball in the corner of one of the big dog beds after a short run outside this morning. Nothing really abnormal, but still not quite Della. I think she was just moping about because I didn't take her out yesterday or do anything special with her. She seems just fine back home this evening.

I also wanted to see how she'd be in a public place with other dogs around. She was great with all the people. She loves to be adored and she's very adorable. She barked at all the dogs. Her bark was heard throughout the store and quite possibly in the adjacent stores. On the plus side, I had no trouble handling her on the Gentle Leader. 

Pinky at the Vet

Pinky has been to the vet a few times in her life, thanks to The HOWS Project, who got her spayed and transported her twice on sick calls because she was too thin. It was after the second sick visit that Pinky was surrendered to HOWS and turned over to me that same day. She was only 45 pounds at that vet visit, and was infested with whip and hook worms. In addition, her owner didn't have any food and Pinky was in a pen without any water. Surrender was the best option for Pinky, by far.

Since she's been here I've given her de-worming medicine (Panacure) for five straight days. And she's being fed at least twice a day and usually three times a day. She's been sharing the dog yard we call Daneland with Dobby until his adoption the other day, and with Kami, my other white shepherd from HOWS.

Pinky and Kami look so much alike that they could pass as sisters, and they've been wonderful playmates. Like Kami, Pinky comes inside at night and has been good in a crate in my office until morning.

I'm ready to work on finding Pinky a home but I didn't have any records of vaccines for her, until today. We had a vet appointment late Friday afternoon. Pinky was wonderful. No nervousness, no fear, certainly no aggression. She gently took tiny treats from fingertips. She would sit on command and gave me such nice and smiling poses that I had a hard time deciding which pictures to use for this blog post.

The staff that saw her remarked on how much better she looked than when she had last been in there. Mostly she looked so much happier now. Best of all, she had already gained five pounds, tipping the scales at just over 50 pounds today. She's been vaccinated now and tomorrow I'm taking her to her first adoption event with Promises Animal Rescue.

Dobby's Adoption

Taking on a deaf and blind dog is a real commitment. We had fostered a deaf dog previously, and some of the hoarder Danes were vision impaired, but this was our first profoundly deaf/blind dog --  and he was Great Dane to boot. He was also one of the sweetest and most trusting dogs I've ever known. That made today a little rough.

Dobby had learned my scent and my touch and he knew I was the one who would guide him in and out of the house around here and bring him food. I took him hiking a few times and that was just icing on the cake for him, being outside, moving without hitting things, and being exposed to all the scents that woodland trails have to offer. He learned to trust me. That is the most gratifying thing about having a dog, I think, earning the trust of the most trusting creature on earth. The fact that he is deaf and blind means that his is trust is, necessarily, absolute.

That being the case, it was a little hard to say goodbye to Dobby today. But I know he was going to an excellent home. They had met him twice and had plenty of time to contemplate the decision. I know that they had done research into owning and training a deaf and blind dog. They have had experience with a large breed blind dog in the past as well, so it's everything we could have hoped for in an adopter's home.

One thing that the Dobby experience has really brought home to me once again, is the importance of touch. Dobby sort of learned his way around here, but when he would wander off in the wrong direction he would be lost. All I had to do was touch him, anywhere on his body, and he responded as if saying, "oh, there you are, I thought I had lost you." A simple touch of recognition brought him back to a place of calm.

With Dobby, touch was his only way of interacting with people really, but it's important for all dogs and people too. A simple touch is calming, reassuring. It lets someone know that you are there and that you care. A touch makes someone feel safe, protected, loved, and cared for. The laying on of hands is nonsense as faith healing, but it provides very real benefits, no matter what the problem may be.

Routine dog business

Dog activity has been rather slow around here lately. Trying to get some dogs placed, and a couple should be going soon, but it always takes longer than I would like.

I've been pretty busy with work, but am getting out when I can with some dogs for walks, some for runs in the pasture, some for strolls in the yard.

I'm beginning to trust Arby on strolls around the yard.
He's never made any attempt to go through the fence and
he doesn't stay out very long. I'll leave him for a short time
and then check on him and he's easier to find than Trooper.

He reminds me of Vince more and more. He's a serious dog
with serious business to attend to out there. Bushes to mark,
many things to sniff. Dog business.

If I only have time for one walk, it pretty
much has to be Della and Maya. 

Maya's foot seems better now, ever since
that vet visit even though nothing was done.

I have used the Gentle Leader with Della
when we've encountered other people and
dogs and it greatly improves the experience,
for me anyway.

Theo the Great, with his ever present ball.

Tuck chasing Della

Sweet Serena

Max is maybe about 11 years old now. He doesn't look
for act it, but time marches on.

I need to introduce Serena to the Gentle Leader
so I can walk the Danish girls together.

Tuck, Serena, Theo