Dog rescue update

[oruacat2]

Well, tomorrow is the day that I drive up to Remus Michigan and check out the Australian Cattle Dog rescue group. The lady that runs it has been busy - of the five dogs in which I expressed an interest last month, she's found new homes for three of them. She doesn't mess around. The two female puppies and "Bowser", the red male, are moving on to better lives. Great news. The two remaining - Levi and his brother Sebastian, are "coming along slowly" - still on the shy side and slow-to-trust because of the neglect they suffered earlier in their lives. She seems to think that splitting them up will be a plus, as they reinforce each other's fears and shyness. Makes sense, I guess - I'll trust her judgement on those two. There is a new red male on the scene though - a 10-month old who is so light in color that he looks white from a distance. His coat is slightly longer, too, giving him a wild, feral look. Evidently he has a similar background as Levi and Sabi - mostly neglect and possibly outright abuse - but is coming along much faster than the two brothers, so we'll see.

Parker's pic (http://acdrescuemi.tripod.com/parker.htm)

I'll keep all you dog-lovers posted.

ps - I stayed in a hotel in Madison Friday night, and a couple in an adjacent room had a red male heeler traveling with them - some kind of sign perhaps? lol

[freethrow]

This is a very smart breed of dog. I am sure you have seen Skidboot. I don't know your family situation and if you have kids or not but I would be concerned with the older dogs if there are going to be small children around. It sounds as if socializing them to be good dogs around strangers and children may be a real chore? But, if you have the time, patience and determination to take them on the effort may be well worth it?

Skidboot was an amazing dog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4VMntSUskg

[Jeff Craddock]

Yep, Skidboot was some dog. :thumbup:

Kenny, I really like Parker's look. Here's hoping that you get one of those dogs soon. Keep us posted....

[WILD1]

Yep, Skidboot was some dog. :thumbup:

Kenny, I really like Parker's look. Here's hoping that you get one of those dogs soon. Keep us posted....

Hey Jeff/all: Are any of you familiar with this organization? Sounds like a good one...should you develop a notion for a Golden, maybe you could give this group a try. :thumbup:

http://www.grrand.org/showpage.php?page=main.htm

[Jeff Craddock]

Hey Jeff/all: Are any of you familiar with this organization? Sounds like a good one...should you develop a notion for a Golden, maybe you could give this group a try. :thumbup:

http://www.grrand.org/showpage.php?page=main.htm

I'm familiar with Golden Retriever Rescue in our area--we have a friend who "fosters" dogs for them. Goldens make great pets--I'm always at a loss to understand how anyone could have Goldens and neglect and/or abuse them. They're such sweethearts. Another friend in South Carolina just adopted a GR rescue dog--Speedy (just like the one in the old Drew Carey show)--and yet another friend in Greensboro has two Golden rescues. More often than not, the ones who have been abused tend to be very shy and need a lot of patient socialization. Goldens--maybe because of their natures--have an easier time coming out of their shells than some of the other breeds.

When we retire and have more time/room, we'd like to get involved in Golden rescue, either as a foster family or as frequent adopters. We both agree that we'd have ten, if we had the room....:thumbup:

[jpay]

God loves we dog lovers...

[WILD1]

I've only a 17-yr-old kitty...she's spoiled rotten and her health is slowly declining with her advanced age but she's all for which we've currently the time/energy however, I LOVE DOGS! Every time I visit someone's home who has a dog, the dog must detect that sentiment as they always run straight to me, tail wildly wagging, with that facial expression of, "she loves me and will pet, cuddle and play with me as long as I want so I'll never let her leave my site the entire time she's visiting", and usually, that's exactly what happens. Dogs are so intuitive. :icon_lol:

[oruacat2]

Wow, what a crazy experience that was...

I'll give you the full details later, as I just got home and still have to unload my car, but let's just say that I put a deposit down on a dog that I had no previous interest in until I met him. lol They're calling him "Dawson" for the time-being, and this picture (http://acdrescuemi.tripod.com/dawson.htm) doesn't come close to doing him justice. He's a looker, and with a super temperament - plus, he's big for an ACD, so he's the same-size as my jacked-up dog. Really cool coloration - he's red, but with so much blue mixed-in that I swear he looks purple, and with a crazy yellow tail to boot. It's like a child with his first box of crayolas went wild and colored him with all the "wrong" crayons. One concern is that he tested heartworm-positive, so he's 6 weeks into treatment and I can't go get him for another two weeks. He's been on what amounts to doggie-bedrest (restricted activity) for a month and a half, and boy was he happy to get out and meet my dog. Funny stuff.

More on the entire visit after I wash myself, my dirty dog ("10,000 lakes and I swam in half of them!") and my filthy car.

KD

[oruacat2]

Alright, for those of you following this tail of intrigue:

First of all, this particular ACD rescue is run like a well-oiled machine. These dogs have their own pens, they're segregated (roughly) according to size, gender, temperament, fixed-or-not-fixed, etc, and they've got lots of space to run. Hell, there's even a agility course set-up on the property. Pretty impressive. She does an outstanding job.

I introduced myself to Mrs. Larner and her husband, and they both filled me in with a bit of background information and their rescue philosphy. Most important, they have to give these dogs the love and attention they require, yet also not allow them to get too attached (the people to the dogs OR the dogs to the rescuers), because when a new "forever home" is found, that would be just one more seperation trauma to the dog. So it's interesting watching this couple striking that delicate balance. We talked alot about my dog, and I got the feeling throughout that they were sizing-me up as much as I sized-up the animals.

First they introduced me to the two young red pups, Levi and Sebi, who were in their own pen together. Truly gorgeous dogs. There's no way of knowing their pedigree, but based on looks alone I'd guess they were show material. Just awesome coloration and stature, healthy coats, bright eyes, perky ears - close to perfect ACD specimens - except that they're about as fearful and skittish as I've ever come across. I went into the pen by myself, and I was very conscious to NOT make any sudden moves towards them, and I actually sat on a bench so that they could approach me. They never did. Nothing by non-stop frantic pacing back and forth, freaked-out, trying to stay as far away from me as possible. No aggression, barking, growling, whining - just that frantic pacing. One would jump and sprint away for no reason, and the other would follow suit, just because the first one startled. The lady was right - they amplify each other's fears and anxieties. Though no one knows for sure, I'd say they were not only neglected, but outright abused. Eventually after the husband came into the pen with me, they sat next to me and let me pet them. That went okay, but they were both like coiled springs - ready to flee the moment I did anything too suddenly for them. Damn sad, 'cause they'll be good dogs eventually, they just need LOTS more time.

The whole time I was trying to interact with those two, the new rescue "Parker" was in the next pen, and he was just DYING to join in on what I guess he thought was fun. lol He stayed glued to that ajoining fence and watched intently everything we did. But when I went into HIS pen, he didn't want anything to do with me either. I found out that his longish coat looks that way because the entire normal "undercoat" is just gone. He was found tied-up and abandoned behind a shed, with ticks, fleas, and other parasites in such massive numbers that most of his coat had fallen out, and he was bleeding from a dozen bites/sores. He also had mange, but he's on all the proper medication and is healing nicely. He's also a beautiful dog, and though he wasn't as crazed and manic as the first two, he never really let me pet him. He'd bellycrawl close enough where I could toss him a treat, but he wouldn't eat it out of my hand. They think he was abused by a male, because he's not the least bit shy around the woman or her daughter, but still hasn't warmed-up to the husband just yet, either. He'll be a good one someday, too.

Next, I met a young blue male named George Strait (ha). HOLY CRAP, what a difference in temperament. This dog was ATHLETIC - like Tigger from the Pooh cartoons, springing-about like he had four pogo-sticks instead of legs. lol He loved to fetch, and I played ball with him for a good half-hour. That dog can flat out fly, horizontally and vertically. At one point the ball rolled under a picnic table, and George CLEARED it in a single bound, picking up the ball's path on the other side. Freakin' impressive. He ate treats out of my hand, and if I didn't throw that ball fast enough, he'd practically put his damn tongue in my ear, and I'm 5'10" tall. I would've killed to have an open field and a frisbee. The sentence "when will this one be ready?" was halfway out of my mouth when Monica said - "let me show you one more".

She brought out "Dawson" - the dog that I'd seen on the website and hadn't paid much attention. A red male, but 2-4 years old, and bigger than the norm - he looked overweight in the pic, and while the others radiated personality, he did not. Boy, was I wrong. This guy is 57lbs. of solid, barrel-chested muscle, but a demeanor as calm as you could ever hope for. Not scared of strangers like the first (pair), not shy like the second, and not crazy hyperactive like the third. Came right up to me, nuzzled his snout in my hand so I'd scratch his ears and pet him, and stared up at me like he was awaiting orders. He'd sit on command and wait for me to give him the snack, unlike Crazy George, who practically took my fingers with him. I played with Dawson for 10 minutes or so, and then the husband-and-wife (who had been sizing me up as well) suggested we let him meet my dog.

I leashed Boo and walked to one end of their "neutral territory" pen, then they entered with Dawson leashed from the other end. Mr. Larner gave the word, and we let 'em go. It was a bit scary, because while I know and trust my dog 100%, I had no idea how this big abandoned male would react. The Larners were watching for whatever alarm signals they worry about, but no problems at all. They casually trotted up to one another (rather than racing to confront each other) sniffed around, and then my old beeyotch of a dog promptly ignored him. It was funny, really, and even this jaded, serious couple laughed. Even funnier, this Dawson started into some crazy, clownish dance where he was digging, scratching, and flinging dirt with all four feet - the whole time staring at Boo, who again was ignoring him. Then he ran around in front of her and did it again - twice. We all agreed that he seemed to be showing-off. lol I took him for a spin on-lead, then I walked both on their respective leashes, and no lie, this new dog walks better on leash than my own. No pulling or tugging, perfect pace, and even ignores all the cats on the farm.

We put the dogs away and I hung out for another few minutes just asking questions. She told me all about the heartworm treatment, how Dawson was found, etc, but I was really interested in how he relates to all the other dogs, because even though he showed nothing but calm, if he ever did get aggressive he could cause some trouble, because he's THAT strong. She told me a pretty interesting story. Just last week they got another new rescue in - another intact male, and Dawson also hadn't been neutered yet at that point. This other male heeler jumped out of his own pen (6ft fence) and jumped INTO Dawson's pen (another 6ft fence), trying to get at him. Dawson's hackels went up, the tail stopped wagging, the teeth bared, and the proverbial feces was about to hit the fan, and Mr. Larner was too far away to react and stop it. He yelled "Dawson, NO!" in a panic....and Dawson stopped in his tracks and laid down. The other male sniffed around but no fight broke out. Gives me hope that I can control this monster. ha ha

Anyhow, I put a deposit down and will drive up again in two weeks to retrieve him, assuming the last 2 weeks of his heartworm treatment go as planned.

Wish me luck.

KD

[POEKLM]

I loved reading that story. Thanks for sharing. I do indeed wish you luck. I bought a book today about "speaking dog". I have a rottweiller that we got from the pound that needs some training. She is sweet but driving me crazy too. She definately doesn't know how to greet company and she has chewed up my 3rd paif or glasses and I forget how many shoes.

[oruacat2]

Thanks, POE.

One story I forgot, because it's sad, but illustrates just how serious the Larners take their rescue operation. I noticed right away that she had a bandage on her hand, but didn't inquire about it until the end of our visit. It seems they tried to rescue a dog (Kojack) who was just too aggressive and too far gone to be saved. They tried for months to rehab this dog - even taught him sign language because he was deaf. I guess he bit the husband on Day One, but they assumed it was strictly from the fear/trauma, so they gave him the benefit of the doubt. Evidently it was straight-up aggression, and when he bit the wife (drawing blood), they made the decision to put him down. It was a strange awkward moment - she had made a joke about biting, and I asked "which one got ahold of your hand?" - then awkward silence, until Mr. Larner said "the one out back in the woods". At first I thought he was refering to their coyote problem that we'd chatted about earlier, but then I realized he was dead serious, and I get the impression he took that mean dog out back and "Ol' Yellered" him. I must've looked aghast, because she very quickly made a great point, that there's too many who CAN be saved to waste too much time on those who cannot, and they are adamant that they won't adopt-out any dog with a history of aggressive biting. I guess "fear-biting" they can work with once the dog calms down and realizes he/she no longer must fight for survival and learns to trust his/her new owner - but they'll only tolerate aggressive biters for so long. Sad, but I see their point - not only from a legal standpoint, it's just the right thing to do. It must've happened very recently, because Kojack was on the website when I first began researching their dogs.

KD

[capcat]

He's a beauty, KD. So much of your story reminds me of our 14 year old Lab we had to put down this past year. She had Dawson's common sense, to know when to be friendly (99% of her life), when to defend (only when there was a clear and present danger to her sister the cat, or to our property) and when to just trust us and obey. We still miss her.

Another thing that Dawson and Sue shared is a case of heartworms. She was on meds, so I don't know how that happened, but she got them when she was about 7 years old. She went in for treatment and, heartworms gone, she lived for another 7 years.

[oruacat2]

She went in for treatment and, heartworms gone, she lived for another 7 years.

Glad to hear that, 'cause I've been reading that even after the treatments I'll need to keep him from "excessive vigorous activity" for another few weeks. I was starting to worry that this could mess him up for life. It sounds like once all the dead heartworms slowly work their way out of the system it becomes a matter of preventing repeat infestations.

KD

[capcat]

Glad to hear that, 'cause I've been reading that even after the treatments I'll need to keep him from "excessive vigorous activity" for another few weeks. I was starting to worry that this could mess him up for life. It sounds like once all the dead heartworms slowly work their way out of the system it becomes a matter of preventing repeat infestations.

KD
It left her with no effects. She was the same dog as pre-heartworms, very strong, playful and healthy. After treatment it was hard to keep her as still as the vet had recommended, and there were times when we didn't succeed at that, but she did fine.

[oruacat2]

I'm familiar with Golden Retriever Rescue in our area--we have a friend who "fosters" dogs for them. Goldens make great pets--I'm always at a loss to understand how anyone could have Goldens and neglect and/or abuse them. They're such sweethearts. Another friend in South Carolina just adopted a GR rescue dog--Speedy (just like the one in the old Drew Carey show)--and yet another friend in Greensboro has two Golden rescues. More often than not, the ones who have been abused tend to be very shy and need a lot of patient socialization. Goldens--maybe because of their natures--have an easier time coming out of their shells than some of the other breeds.

When we retire and have more time/room, we'd like to get involved in Golden rescue, either as a foster family or as frequent adopters. We both agree that we'd have ten, if we had the room....:thumbup:

Almost forgot to mention this great point that Mr. Larner made - as friendly and outgoing as Goldens can be, Heelers can be just as reserved and cautious - except with "their people". Folks in-the-know call them "velcro dogs" for a reason, because once a human earns their trust and love, these dogs are 100% devoted. So he made a good point regarding the three neglected/abused rescues - when one of these dogs devotes itself to one person, or to one family, and then that one person abuses or neglects them, it takes even longer for them to get over it. They're really almost too damn smart and aware for their own good IMO, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I'll tell you this right now - if I ever win the lottery, I'd take every one of those dogs.

KD

[freethrow]

Thanks for sharing all of the above, KD. It sounds as though you will be getting a great dog and one that will bond to you and obey you very quickly. Congrats. :thumbup::thumbup:

[Jeff Craddock]

Great story, Kenny. :thumbup: And congratulations in advance. Please keep us informed as your adventure with Dawson unfolds...