Happy New Year!

My first year as a foster parent is here... 7 dogs in 7 months.  What a wonderful experience it has been.  I have been honored to be part of each of these dogs journey into their furever home.  And thanks to all the New Rattitude people for all the kindness and support this past year and the Washington team..I couldn't have done it without them! and last but not least, and especially my daughter Cassie, who has been such a great help with these dogs, especially the playing part! 

Happy New Life!

The house is quiet!  Spyro has made it to Oregon with his new family today.  When they came to pick him up, he got to meet his new dog brother Porter who is about 14 lbs.  They immediately got along and were running around the house and playing together.  They have named him Gizmo!  He is already settling into his new home with a new bed and is busy hoarding toys under their dining room table.  Best to you and happy life little man!

I'm adopted!!!

Spyro got himself the best Christmas present - he's been adopted by a great family in Oregon where he will have a couple of dog siblings too.  We will be keeping him through Christmas (and I will be putting a few Christmas bows on him) and he's off to his new home on Monday.  Merry Christmas Spryo,  you deserve it!

Spyro Growing and Learning...

Spyro continues to do really well... He is using the doggie door on a regular basis now and we are in full fake potty mode so I'm having to watch him and only treat when he does some pottying...  He also has started doing his business in the grass which is great... For this past two weeks, he would only go on the concrete patio... probably all he knew in the shelter he was at for two months :(

He was quite the little trouble maker tonight and found the fuzz inside a blanket I have for him and had a lot of fun pulling it out... I'm sure he thought I was quite the party pooper by taking it away but then he just turned his attention on a stuffed toy though he's not gotten close to destuffing it..... yet :)  He also taste tested an ear bud so you got to keep a close on on this little one until he learns what a toy is and what is not.

He likes to let out little barks when he's happy or wants attention and will also make some noise if you do something he doesn't like either... He's can be quite talkative! (working on getting video but he stops whenever you bring the camera out for that)

loves me some  tennis balls

when will my foster mom stop playing on the computer!

This was Cassie's idea... he's not happy about it...

Sebastian, Tucker and Susie Updates

Got lots of updates this past week...

Sebastian, my very first foster is doing really well and has joined a doggie training class to work on recall.  Ryan adores him and is now working on cutting back some on his food as he's gained a little "winter weight".

Tucker is also doing great here in Yakima and is becoming best buddies with Ron and will curl up by him for naps... (Tucker was very wary of him when he was first adopted)...  He has attempted the hobby of chewing shoes and plastic garbage can but his new parents are showing him there are much better things to chew on...

Susie who was just recently adopted is settling in after an eventful start... She is quickly showing her new parents that she is the master squeaker destroyer of all squeaker toys....

Susie gettin' some love from her new mom

Here is to a Happy Holiday season to all the dogs I've fostered this year... (including, Shelby, Shelly and Saul too!) and to a wonderful new year with their fur-ever families!

All I Want For Christmas....

Doggie Doors - R Us

It's been a busy week!  Spyro continues to do really well and has now learned the doggie door!  He's started to go out there on his own and though he is not reliable yet, he is well on his way... I think he may have even "faked" pottied once because he knows if he goes out there and potties, he gets a treat!   He's gone out for walks and he does pretty good with the leash and maybe seems a little worried about where he's going, but everyday, he is getting a little less scared and more into a routine.  He loves to lay in your lap for naps and also likes to walk across my laptop - which, on Wed he did, and managed to turn my screen upside down! (turns out he hit ctl, alt and the down key in the right order) - maybe he's a computer genius... or hacker...

His stitches came out this week and he was quite the drama queen about it, yelping before we even started... but then he was able to get a bath and jump around like a maniac...which it turns out, he does pretty good with the jumping with those little legs of his. 

Spyro out on the town...

Spyro had himself a busy day yesterday... He went and visited my neighbor who has a JRT mix  named Fancy who is about 6 years old... They did some playing together and it was super cute (no camera though!) - we will being going back there for sure! 

We also went to the pet store to pick up some more squeeky tennis balls and he did really good though he wouldn't take a treat from an employee, too nervous for that... He did however find a bed he wanted... a $70, memory foam, heated bed - so this little man has expensive taste!  He didn't want to leave it!

Housetraining is coming along... He ALMOST went out the door by himself, I could tell he wanted to, but he couldn't quite brave the chilly weather and had to be coaxed out there...  

He follows my dog Sasha everywhere and has been trying to get her to play by bouncing around in front of her... it's super cute.... They even shared a moment in the doggie bed together, though Sasha left after about 5 minutes... (okay, Cassie put Spyro in there, but they still had a moement together!)

Spyro's Playdates!

Took Spyro over to my friend's house yesterday and met her dogs... Spyro was a bit nervous as they were much bigger than he was, but they did lots of greets and sniffs and did good... When a couple more people came over, he wanted to be held and shook with nervousness - little overwhelmed I think... Tonight I went over to another friends house and she also has big dogs, and Spyro did a little playing, a little humping (still working those hormones out) and I hear his first (and second) growl out of him when he had enough... He also played with her kids, a 6 year old girl and 10 year old boy and did really great...

with Sheriff (left) and Sadie (right) - all very excited for treats!

He can now also manage to jump up on my bed, though he can't get up there about half the time. 

Potty Training:  We are still working on it, and he will now go out the doggie door with some coaxing... He knows he gets treats when he comes back in, but he hasn't quite connected it all yet. 

He still has to be coned when he's in his crate cause he just won't stop messing with his stitches and we have to watch him closely when he's not coned.  He knows he's not suppose too, but he just can't help himself. 

He loves to snuggle and right now he's asleep in my lap (as I type sideways on the computer) giving out little puppy snores... He gives you kisses and loves to wiggle when he's excited.  Loves to have his belly scratch and the top of his head... Do them together and he just closes his eyes and is in heaven.  He's very adorable. 

Sheriff sneaking up on Spyro

Spryo Update....

So Spyro is recovering well from his neuter and starting to play and get a little more active.  He chases tennis balls and loves the little round panda toy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyvAbYSf9vA&feature=g-upl .   He is doing well with my dog Sasha and is a good listener when he gets into her space and so far isn't interested in my cat at all.

Housetraining has begun - poor little guy, he's so skinny, no extra fat on him at all (only 7 lbs 9 oz) and he has to go outside to potty and last night it was 19 degrees!  He has learned the doggie dog though...at least to come in and get away from the cold!  I have to close the screen so he can't run back in before he's done.  He has no idea yet why he has to go out there, but the lightbulb will go off soon...  I've learned to pick him up from his crate in the morning and when I get home, rather than let him walk outside so he isn't able to "pit stop" on the way outside... :)

He does well in the crate, sleeps quite in there and even lets me put him in there while I do some housework....  he also loves the doggie bed and if I just bring it out into my craft room, he will curl up on it and let me make some owls crafts, which is nice.   No acccidents in the crate either. 

He does howl a bit when he hears things outside... I was with my dad yesterday outside working on a car issue and he has a little tiny howl and he kept up for about 20 minutes before settling... However, he's quiet when I'm at home and he's quite when I leave... I just think he could hear us there and wanted in on the action! 

Spyro's got a Cone

Spryo's back from his neuter and he is too interested in checking out his stitches, so he's been coned!  He weighs a whole 7 lbs and 9 oz.    He needs a little meat on his bones, he's pretty skinny... He's about 8 months too, so he's bound to grow a bit too.    Just mostly sleeping since we got home and he's not putting to much of fuss up with the cone.   He finally woke up about 1/2 hour ago and downed a bully stick so he must be on the road to recovery... My daughter Cassie was nice and held it for him while he had the cone on - but then we figured out as long as he had the bully stick, he wasn't interested in his stitches, so he got a cone break.    We also took him out twice for potty's with success, so we are off and running on the housetraining! 

Bored!  Let me out of the cone!

he's ears are so big, they fold in the cone - poor thing!

Spryo is Here...

Susie went home today to her new family and they were nice enough to bring me my newest foster... We named him Spryo and he is super tiny with big eyes and big ears.  He's pretty nervous with all the changes that have been going on, but he super sweet, gives little kisses already and gnawed down on a cow hoof and seemed pretty happy with that.  Tomorrow is his neuter, so it will be a few more days before we will get to see his personality start to shine but I can tell, he's just going to be a doll...

Beauty Sleep

Susie is getting all her beauty sleep to prepare for her new parents on Sunday!  She also needs a bath and a nail trim, but we will let her sleep and save that for Saturday :)  She also found my (not hers) new pink owl blanket and snuggled right up to it... :)  Sleep tight Susie!

I'm Adopted!

Guess who found a fabulous new home over in Seattle?  Little Susie will be heading to her new home this Sunday with a wonderful couple... Yeah for Susie!  She's just the sweetest little thing and I know will do great with her new family! 

Gimme More Toys!

Susie loves to play and loves little squeaky toys... She also loves dragging out the toys and I think watching me put them back and then we play the whole game over again... I also would like to know, how did I get so many dog toys?  I really have to put some away, but you never know which one a new dog will like... Susie.. she likes them all!  But squeaky ones the best! 

Helping herself to the toy box to find the best one!

and the squeaky flea wins!  (it's almost as big as her!)

New Outfit for Susie!

Poor little Susie is such a tiny thing... The smallest sweater I had, as you can see, was way to big for her and it's so chilly outside - so I headed out and braved the Black Friday sales and...

found an outfit that will not only fit her, but on sale for 5.00 bucks!  Now she will be warmer when she goes out for her snowy potty breaks and stylin too :) 

Visiting Friends and Going to the Vet

Took Susie over to my friend Amber's house for a visit and some socialization... while she mainly hid from the big dogs, she did come out for treats!  She also ran right over to Amber's husband Nate and hung out with him until he left for work, she really liked Nate alot.   They also have a 6 year old daughter and Susie was a little shy of her, though took a few pets from her and no growling.  I think in time, they will be buddies... Susie just needs some warm up time...

She also went her for heartworm testing yesterdayand man, she was scared!  poor thing... probably thought she was going back to the shelter... But we got it done and got her microchipped and back home...

She is also getting braver with Sasha and they've had some hysterical (to me at least) growl downs at each other... and she has been edging closer to Sasha's food during eating time... Susie eats FAST so she is always done before Sasha and has been coming over to check out Sasha's bowl... Today too, Sasha got ahold of an empty plastic down that has a bit of sauce left over it and guarded it for about an hour with Susie coming by every 10 minutes or so and barking at her... Sasha actually fell asleep with her foot on the tin, she was so detemined not to share..

Susie Burrito!

not a fan of the burrito!

Snow Buddies

Sasha and Susie

Welcome to Yakima little one... and the snow!  Susie has had to go potty and go walking in the snow... she's not a huge fan, but she did pretty good with the occasional begging to be picked up... She also meet the neighborhood kids - about 5 of them and was a bit scared of them but when I got them to come one at a time and slow - she accepted a few pats from them and one got a little kiss on the hand. 

 

 

 

 

She found a place with no snow!

Glad to be back inside where it's warm!

Feelin' Good!

Nothing like a Red Barn bone to make you feel better!  Susie is doing great and is already back to her old self... I keep having to catch her before she jumps up or down on things! She's a fast little thing...  Her stitches don't seem to be bothering her at all and it's more of trying to keep her mellow than her feeling bad... And she loves her pink medicine so no problems giving it to her which is nice. 

Spay Day and Snow Day!

Last night, since it was the last day for a few days that Susie would be feeling up to jumping around, I got a video of her learning sit and also her little dance when she sees the treat bag!  She reminds me of a meerkat! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AayyoZX3e1k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NMl2Muo6lA

She had her spay today and did very well though she is very groggy and tired... She weighs an official 10.02 lbs.  She also got home and had to go out in about 1 inch of snow to potty but she did and even wandered around a bit before heading back in to get warm. A couple of days of recovery and she should be back to her ol' self. 

Out on the Town!

I took a late lunch today and picked Susie up and took her down to our local pet store, the Pet Pantry. She really didn't want to go into the car (who would after all her traveling in the past week) but once in and crated, she was all quiet - though she I think she was worried to where she was going! She did great in the pet store and seemed to enjoy checking everything out... especially the cat food! She got to meet some new people, though a bit hestitant at first. She even got her nails clipped by the owner and did really well and even gave a kiss afterwards! :) 

mmm...cat food - can I have some?

By the bird tree, but you can see her diamond marking on the back of her neck :)



Afterwards, we stopped by my work and she meet all my co-workers... She was a little scared but warmed up quickly, getting pets and scratches from everyone., though she wanted me in her sight at all times and got barky and worried when I once left the room... When we got home after eating, she preceeded to take out every toy out of the dog toy box, chew on each one at a time - focusing on the squeeky ones (those are her favorite and she's very good at de-squeeking them)... and then she passed on out!  Busy day for Susie!  Tomorrow too... that's her spay day. 

Susie-Q!

Busy getting to know little Susie... She's been good with the housetraining and will use my doggie door all on her own... Yeah!  She loves to chew on toys and play with anything squeeky which she attacks with a vengence... She's been good at night settling in her crate but I do have to make her go in there and she really loves to have her head scratched.. I put her up on the bed by my cat and other than a few sniffs, neither where interested in each other... Oh and she loves to pose for the camera!

getting warm after the cold trip over the moutains

her expression when she's getting belly rubs!

Saul's New Home

Saul is busy settling into his new home with his new mom Kelly!  He's already found a favorite spot!

Welcome Susie!

Newest little foster dog Susie is here!... She is tiny, 9 lbs, likes to play, makes funny little play noises and is just a doll...

She is a busy little thing and not all other bothered by the snow  -  Welcome to Eastern Washington Susie - there is more snow to come! 

I'm Adopted!

Saul has found his forever home!  He will be heading west to live it up in South Seattle.  I'm meeting his mom on Saturday and she is busy getting his new home all ready for him!  Saul is a great dog and I'm excited for them both!  Yeah for Saul!