ADOPTED: The Buster Effect

This post is long overdue considering that we fostered Buster almost a month ago. With each foster dog, I continue to be amazed with what I learn about animal rescue.

Buster was found as a stray in a local city--emaciated and clearly not cared for. The family who found him tried unsuccessfully to find him a home because they couldn't keep him. They contacted our rescue group to see if we could take him.

One afternoon, another volunteer helped me load Buster into my car. When she closed the door, I looked at him in my back seat at him—ears up, head tiled—and said, "Buster, you are one funky dude." I thought he would probably be with us for awhile because of just how funky I thought he looked, but it turns out that the more unique a dog looks, the more people want to adopt him.

"The Buster Effect," as I've termed it, is the exact opposite of the "I Need a Specific Breed Effect." There are plenty of people out there who only want a Lab that looks like every other Lab and acts like every other Lab on planet Earth. But it turns out that there's another contingency of people who want a dog that looks like no other dog out there.

Well, with those big bunny ears and quizzical look, Buster was that one-of-a-kind dog. It didn't hurt that he had a Prince-Charming type personality. I think he was Missy's best foster friend yet, and he just loved every person he met.

Buster was only with us for a week or two before being adopted by a couple who was instantly won over after one look at those ears. Buster, you're gonna break some hearts, you funky dude, you!

ADOPTED: Somebody's Somebody

An unwanted dog dumped in a city shelter. He's a nobody. He's got no name—only a number, 107425. He barks and whines for attention. He jumps on his cage hoping someone will want to play. But nobody wants him. He's a nobody.

I'd imagine this is what life was like for 107425 prior to the day volunteers with our organization visited the shelter. That day, the volunteers left with 107425, a 10-year-old beagle, and a mama pit and her 4-week-old puppies to take into our rescue.

Jonathan and I picked up 107425 and assessed his immediate needs—a bath, some food, a few handsome Petfinder photos, and a name. Oreo, we decided. Definitely Oreo.

Despite the fact that he was a nobody, the truth is that Oreo would be the easiest of all the dogs to adopt out because of his age, size, and breed. So it's not surprising that after a bath, some food, a few handsome Petfinder photos, and a name, several families were interested in adopting him. "We just fell in love with his pictures," one family said. "Look at that beautiful coat," said another. "And we just love his name," they all said. It's amazing what a mini-makeover can do for a dog.

This past weekend we adopted him to a family who had been looking for a dog for some time. We did our home visit and said our goodbyes. As we walked toward the door, he tried to follow us. I thought I had become immune to these goodbyes. After a certain number of them, you know the drill. And having our own Missy at home waiting for us certainly makes it easier. But this one stung a little bit more than the rest.

"Be good, my sweet cookie," I whispered to him.

I couldn't stop thinking about him this week, so I emailed the family to see how he's doing. He's been a dream—crate trained, housebroken, playful, the works. The family couldn't be happier. They directed me to their Facebook page to see pictures of Oreo playing in the backyard, snuggling on the couch, and rolling on the floor.

That's when it hit me. This dog is somebody's somebody.

Oreo, One Sweet Cookie

I've always wanted to name a dog Oreo. And when this pup with black on outside and white on the inside came along, I thought "Oreo" would be a perfect fit. (Not to mention he had no name—only a number—in the shelter where he came from.)

I'm stumped as to his breed mix. At 25 pounds, he reminds me of a miniature lab. But he has his ears set high like a Jack Russell. Someone else mentioned he looked like a spaniel/pointer mix.

Petfinder still doesn't have a "mutt" option for breed, so tell me... What do you think is in the mix?

ADOPTED: Joplin, Before and After

Joplin was adopted by one of my colleagues and has since been re-named Tater Tot. Take a look at these before and after shots of "Extreme Makeover: Tater Tot Edition!"

Jumpin' Joplin

We took in Jumpin' Joplin from a shelter in Virginia. We're told he was a stray running the streets dodging traffic. He really needs a haircut, but he's adorable nonetheless.

Missy's DNA Results Are Here!

What do you get when you cross generations of lab mixes? A fuzzy, 30-pound Missy—apparently!

We were quite surprised to see how much lab showed up. And imagine our disbelief when the test showed that, with varying degrees of certainty, there might be skye terrier, cairn terrier, cocker spaniel, and basset hound in her. (Okay, I was pretty sure there was cocker in her to begin with.)

I might think this test is a hoax if I didn't know people who had results that actually resembled their dogs. But it gives me 100% proof that the next time someone asks, I can say Missy is a purebred mutt. Alright, honestly, it was just plain fun to do.

I've included the results here. We used Wisdom Panel Insights. We received their kit in the mail, swabbed Missy's cheek, then dropped it back in the mail. The results came in about 3 weeks later. I'm not endorsing them; I choose this test because a friend recommend it. (Oh, and it was on sale.)

Have you had your dog DNA tested? Were you surprised by the results?

ADOPTED: More Than a Number

A series of numbers are tattooed inside Scout’s long, droopy ears. This was primarily how she was identified at the lab. But then she stepped paw inside our home and was given her forever name—Scout.

My colleague had always wanted to get a female dog and name her after the inquisitive young tomboy from To Kill a Mockingbird. When she took in a male dog, she named him Scout anyway. I hope her Scout Sr. doesn’t mind, but I borrowed his name. It turns out that the name helped find my Scout a home.

A potential adopter was browsing Petfinder looking for a beagle. She told me that as soon as she saw the name Scout, she knew it was meant to be. She had always wanted a dog named Scout. In fact, she wanted a Scout and an Atticus to go along with her current beagle who, although named Gracie, also responds to the nickname Boo. 

Scout (front) and her beagle sister, Gracie

This potential adopter—we’ll call them the Finch family—was quite heartbroken when I told them that our little Scout already had a home visit set up, but I promised to call if things didn’t work out. Well, things didn’t work out. The other potential adopter decided after our home visit and conversation that it wouldn’t be feasible with their schedule to housebreak a research beagle. (Another good example of why home visits are important.)

You can imagine how happy the Finch family was when I called to share this news and ask if they were still interested. We visited their home last night so Scout could meet Gracie (Boo.) It went marvelously, and Scout was adopted as a permanent member of the Finch family.

The dog previously known by the numbers forever marked in her ears will now forever be known as Scout. She’ll be surrounded by love and given everything a dog deserves—Scout’s honor. 

Scout's Firsts

Scout, our first retired research beagle foster, arrived this weekend. She's a really sweet, well-balanced dog, especially considering her circumstances. She is very friendly with people and other dogs and doesn't seem bothered by things like loud noises, passing bicycles, etc. It's astounding to me that other foster dogs we've had—who had lived with families and in homes—freaked out at things like this, but sweet little Scout doesn't flinch. I'm sure her breed has something to do with it, but it's also an indicator to me that she was socialized during the critical first few months of life.

But still, knowing that she spent her life in a laboratory means that just about everything is a "first" for Scout. It's sad to think that a dog could live a year or two or five without a toy to call its own or without ever feeling a cold January wind blow its ears back. So we're documenting Scout's firsts. Here are just a few so far:

Scout's First Blankie (while recovering from her spay surgery)

Scout's First Toy 

Scout's First Sunday Morning Walk

Scout's First Kiss

Missy's DNA

People constantly approach us on walks and ask what Missy is. Every time I settle on a breed I think she looks like, someone sways me. When I'm convinced she's a spaniel mix, a passerby says, "Wow, she must be a border collie mix." (I assure them she has nothing close to the energy level of a border collie.) Then, when I'm sure she's got some spitz in her, I see a similar dog on Petfinder labeled as a flat-coated retriever. And so on...

The ambiguity of her breed is one of my favorite things about her. I hate the idea that a dog is supposed to look like something. After all, who really cares what's in our dog's DNA? At the vet's office, I identified her as "mixed breed" on their paperwork. When the receptionist questioned me, I asked her to take her best guess. The receptionist looked down at Missy, shrugged, and said, "Mixed breed it is."

But a homeowner's insurance company pushed me over the edge. When we were applying to a new company, the representative asked if we owned a dog and if so, what breed. He wouldn't accept "mixed breed" for an answer. He needed to write something down in the file. Forget about the fact that we had a flooded basement that caused tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage. These people were willing to cover us as along as we don't have a bully breed living in our house. (Click here for more about breed-specific practices by insurance companies.) "Is she a pit bull?" the representative asked. And we said, "She's small and black and fluffy. Just put spaniel mix."

After that conversation, I caved and bought a DNA test for Missy. People need labels for everything, it seems. We can make our best guesses about what she is based on what she looks like, but what's in her DNA could be very different. Some friends also pointed out that it's good to know what breeds could be in the mix for medical purposes. And plus, it will just be fun to know. So we shelled out $50, ordered a test, and swabbed her cheeks. We dropped the samples in the mail this evening and should receive a copy of the results in 2-3 weeks. Stay tuned.

Do I think the results will be the end-all, be-all answer to what makes our dog supremely awesome? No. Will I be surprised or angry if it comes back as mostly "mixed breed?" Not at all.

In the end, she's our Missy, a purebred Missy.

Next Up, a Research Beagle!

A retired research beagle

Most people are surprised to know that dogs are used in biomedical research. The breed of choice? Beagles. They're small, have sweet dispositions, and easy to handle. While you could imagine the worst, I've been told there are strict USDA standards that involves regular inspections. The dogs are generally well cared for and socialized with both humans and other dogs.

Some laboratories will release dogs into "retirement" after they are no longer needed. Often these dogs have been used only for training purposes, as part of a control group, or have had only non-toxic materials tested on them. The dogs receive medical clearance before being released to rescues. 

Usually I shy away from taking in hounds because their bays would likely make my condo neighbors unhappy, but research beagles are bred to be quiet. (Imagine a lab full of howling hounds!) Since our rescue is working to take in numerous beagles at once because of a lab re-organization, we signed ourselves up for our very first beagle. She's set to arrive this weekend. 

However, I worry that...

• these dogs have never seen the light of day. They've never felt grass on their paw pads. They've never lived in a house. It means many "firsts" and, of course, lots of housebreaking. I'm told they are fast learners and are often adopted pretty quickly as well. 
• she'll be too stinkin' cute and sweet to let go! 

ADOPTED: Ariel's Foster Failure

You may rememberAriel, the 8-year-old chihuahua mix who spent Christmas with us while her foster family was on vacation. Well, the family came back and decided they could never let her go again, so they adopted her!

Foster failures aren't really that common. After all, if fosters adopted most of the dogs they took in, there wouldn't be any space left for them to save more dogs. But when it does happen, you know it's because that foster dog has carved a very special place in a family's heart. And so it was with Ariel Best of luck to Ariel and her forever family!

PUP-DATE: Zazu Again!

Zazu and her former foster dad

It's no surprise that I have a constant flow of Zazu (now Tallulah) pup-dates because her family lives right around the corner. One day I saw Tallulah's mom at the train station and heard that Tallulah ate a pair of glasses. Another day I heard about how Tallulah opened all the lower cabinets in the kitchen and helped herself to lunch. But these pup-dates are always followed with solutions they've come up with to keep Tallulah's insatiable curiosity at bay. And then: "She's such a wonderful dog, and we couldn't imagine life without her. Thank you for bringing us to her."

Tallulah is a great dog, but there's no doubt that her hound behaviors require a good deal of patience, lots of exercise, and, as her family pointed out, several trips to Pier 1 to replace household items she has helped herself to. It reminds me that every family has their own tolerance for issues they're willing to work with. For some, they can't tolerate a dog who jumps on the furniture or has an occasional accident in the house. For others, they're willing to work through behavioral issues (Jagger's family also comes to mind) or medical problems.

Today we were out for a long walk on a new trail in town and saw Tallulah herself for the first time since she was adopted in September. She jumped on us and gave us kisses. We'd like to think that she remembered us, but the truth is that she just loves everyone. She's taken to eating the contents of the garbage can, so her family takes out the garbage every day before they leave for work. She's doing great, and they couldn't imagine life without her.

Wishing You a Merry Christmas

From Ariel (who we're foster-dog sitting)

and Missy, of course!

Wordless Wednesday: ADOPTED: Maggie's Journey

Magnolia the golden doodle-ish dog showed up on the Web site of a shelter we partner with in VA. I may or may not have had her forever family in mind when I asked to foster her.

Shaggy Maggie made her way up to NJ with the volunteer transport system. By the time she reached us, she was pooped.

The next morning, we took her for a walk...

and then got her a bath.

Afterward, she went home to her forever family—which just so happens to be my parents! It's the second best thing to foster failing!

And now Missy has a new best friend!

For Shelby

Shelby in spring 2011

Why does the lifespan of man’s best friend last only a fraction of man’s lifetime? It seems cruel that a best friend is meant to walk by your side for only a short while.

Shelby, my family’s golden retriever, passed away a few weeks ago. Sure, being blind slowed her down a bit. Call us naïve, but somehow we thought she might live forever. When Shelby was sick one morning, my parents took her to the vet and were told it might just be a bug. “Take 2 aspirin and call me in the morning, Shelbs,” the vet seemed to say. When Shelby’s condition worsened the next day, they took her back. Further tests revealed she had a tumor growing on her heart. She grew weaker and her heartbeat gradually slowed. The vet told us she wasn’t in pain. In fact, it was an awfully peaceful way to go.

As I’m sure many, if not all, of you can attest, the loss of a pet leaves a gaping hole in your life. Coming home to an empty house. Taking walks by yourself. Not having a TV-watching buddy. And because my parents were accustomed to taking such good care of Shelby’s medical needs, there was no longer a reason to run home to give her eye drops or medicine. 

Shelby circa spring 2003

If dogs had eulogies, which they do on dog blogs, Shelby's would go like this: When you consider the 6-8 million homeless animals that have their lives cut short each year, you have to appreciate what a wonderful life Shelby lived. A family with two kids purchased Shelby from a breeder when she was a puppy. When the parents got divorced, Shelby didn't fit into their plans. She found her way into our home, her forever home, via an ad in the “Absolutely Free” classifieds column. (Kids, that’s the old-time version of Craigslist.) She lived to the ripe old age of 12 years with a family that loved her to pieces—even though she wasn’t allowed on the furniture. She really couldn’t have asked for more. We couldn’t have asked for more.

Shelby was a good listener and confidant.  She made us laugh and relieved our stress. She taught us more about ourselves, about life, and about adversity. While it seems unfair that she, like her canine counterparts, was only destined to be with us for a short while, the message is abundantly clear:

In our time, we’re meant to welcome many dogs into our hearts. We’re meant to live and learn from them. We’re meant to cross paths and take their pawprints with us wherever we go. 

Love

Foster cat Franky and Missy. My mom says it would be animal cruelty to separate these two lovebirds.

ADOPTED: So long, Sophie!

Missy and Sophie

Sophie wasn't an easy post-foster-failure dog. She was well-behaved, friendly, cute, and the perfect dog. She made it hard not to fail again. Truth be told, if she had come along first, we probably would have adopted her. (Don't tell Missy this!) But there's no room in this inn and thankfully a super nice couple adopted Sophie on Saturday.

Missy and Sophie and all the other dogs that came before them are testaments to the absolutely wonderful dogs that crowd shelters in the U.S. My blood boils when someone tells me they have chosen to buy a dog instead of adopt one because they "don't want to deal with a shelter dog's issues." Many dogs—like Missy and Sophie—end up in shelters not because they have issues but because their people have issues. Both Missy and Sophie's original families moved away and decided not to take the dogs with them. Look into those brown eyes and tell me these girls don't deserve a second chance. I dare you!

More Tricks Than Treats

Missy dressed up as a bee for Halloween and greeted trick or treaters at our door. She has such a great temperament that she didn't blink an eye when young trick or treaters shrieked in her face. She also didn't care when the ridiculous parents of said children screamed (in all seriousness), "Don't pet that dog! She might bite!" However, Missy did find it funny that I replied, "She won't bite. She'll just sting you."

Now would you believe me if I told you that this is not Missy? In fact, it's our new foster dog, Sophie! We couldn't resist taking her in. She's a really sweet dog—more cocker spaniel like than Missy and about 10 pounds lighter. The two of them are just so cute together. Both are easy-going girls who just love being around people.

Okay, now how about if I told you this was Missy and Sophie's long lost foster sister? Well, you'd have to believe me. It's Karina (now Winnie)! Her adopters bought her the same bee costume and sent me this picture! Doesn't she looked thrilled?

PUP-DATE: Zazu

Zazu is living the life! Her people sent us an email saying Zazu (now Lulah) has been a wonderful addition to their family. She and the other dog are best buds. Just look at this picture!

Wordless Wednesday: Interspecies Love

Missy and Franky: Who Said Dogs and Cats Can't Get Along?

Kissies!

Cuddle time!

"No, I love you more!"

 Franky loves playing "Frank in the Box" with Missy.

Franky and Missy have a shared love of chasing the red laser.

Franky has taken it upon himself to give Missy a nightly bath.