Today's visit with the dogs.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

Today, we helped walk dogs and played with our regulars, Xamine, Julie, Timmy and Art, while Maddie cleaned out cages and cleaned water bowls.

I also turned in our application and was told that they had been thinking of us and had two dogs in mind for us. Any dog that we take home has to be "cat safe" and confident enough to be an only dog.

Since they know we are very gentle with the dogs they wanted to give us dogs that "need us." (The other dog that we all really liked, Timmy, has had "happy tail" and it wasn't healing so they docked it. When we volunteered today, I found out that it was docked again and he is not up for adoption. Emma and I spent a lot of time cuddling with him today, so that he could get out of his cage and out of his muzzle.)

One of the dogs offered to us is Dumpling. She is a very tiny Greyhound who had an injury at the track. (I described her to Jeff as a "pocket greyhound." ) She is beautiful, fawn colored with Bambi eyes, but one of her ribs sticks out with a knob. She has to be walked in a harness because something is funky with her spine. She is incredibly sweet and very gentle.

It was her first time in the cuddle room and she confidently went up the steps. She spent a lot of time looking around, the finally settled down and cuddled with the girls. Dumpling is very sweet, but I need to get some clarification about her injuries, because I would hate for Emma, who loves to play with dogs, hurt her by being too rough.

The other dog is Zap. Zap is black with some white spots. He has a bald butt and a few "battle scars." We've met him before, I've walked him, but I never cuddled with him. He is a very confident dog in the play yard and didn't seem to need special time with us. I was told that today was his first time ever in the cuddle room

We had to coax him up the steps, but it wasn't that much of an issue. He didn't investigate the area and sat down immediately for cuddling. It took about five minutes before he had his head in my lap and was sprawled out all over us. Several of the dogs were going in and out of the kennel area, and although I could tell he wanted to go investigate "downstairs" , his desire to stay with us was greater, so he stayed.

When he finally decided to investigate the cuddle room, he moved around while in a sitting postion because he wanted to smell everything, but he also wanted to be cuddled. When it was time to put him away, he didn't to leave us and had to be pushed into his cage, like I do with Xamine.

We told the people in charge that we couldn't decide, so we will spend more time with Dumpling and Zap next week. Next week, we are going to play with Dumpling and Zap in the play yard, walk them and cuddle with them, so that we can learn more about their personalities.

I am also going to call the vet in change and find out more information about Dumpling. I like the fact that she is so tiny because I don't think that she's that much bigger than Jasper, so it would be like having a fourth cat. She is very sweet and I would never worry about her eating cats.

Zap surprised us. We know him as a confident dog, but the fact that he would be good with cats and likes cuddling was amazing to us. I think that Emma would feel better running around with him, because he is so sturdy.

We are going to wait and make up our minds. Also, I firmly believe that the dog will chose us and that will help make up our minds.

[silvercamaro]

Also, I firmly believe that the dog will chose us and that will help make up our minds.

I think you are exactly right.

You are smart to check with the vet about Dumpling, particularly to find out more about her spine. What you described as a rib with a knob may be a "floating rib," which my vet says is absolutely no problem, and fairly common among greyhounds. Rusty has one. It just sticks out at a funny angle, sometimes more prominently than other times.

Zap's bald butt is another characteristic shared by Rusty. When it started, I took him to the vet because I was afraid it was caused by a skin infection or some exotic parasite. The vet said it was no big deal. He compared it to male pattern baldness and said it could happen to any dog, but that it was most often seen in greyhounds and, of all things, beagles. (He said the beagles often get it on their heads, which is far more noticeable than at the other end.)

You are going to love whoever you bring home, and you will be loved in return.

[minimetoo26]

Zap's bald butt is another characteristic shared by Rusty. When it started, I took him to the vet because I was afraid it was caused by a skin infection or some exotic parasite. The vet said it was no big deal. He compared it to male pattern baldness and said it could happen to any dog, but that it was most often seen in greyhounds and, of all things, beagles. (He said the beagles often get it on their heads, which is far more noticeable than at the other end.)

So beast was wrong about his #1 Best Thing About Being an Animal!

A receding furline on the rear end is...odd.

[silvercamaro]

So beast was wrong about his #1 Best Thing About Being an Animal!

LOL. I thought that might occur to him, but I didn't think anybody else would make a connection.

I'm trying to stay on LB's good side, because I love his new avatar and today's BB pictures.

[minimetoo26]

So beast was wrong about his #1 Best Thing About Being an Animal!

LOL. I thought that might occur to him, but I didn't think anybody else would make a connection.

I'm trying to stay on LB's good side, because I love his new avatar and today's BB pictures.

I have to confess I've known about the pictures for a while, and I'm glad I don't have to keep my mouth shut any longer!

They are masterworks.

[christie1111]

So beast was wrong about his #1 Best Thing About Being an Animal!

LOL. I thought that might occur to him, but I didn't think anybody else would make a connection.

I'm trying to stay on LB's good side, because I love his new avatar and today's BB pictures.

I have to confess I've known about the pictures for a while, and I'm glad I don't have to keep my mouth shut any longer!

They are masterworks.

He told me that you inspired the subject matter of the pincusion in mine.

Excellent work!

[minimetoo26]

LOL. I thought that might occur to him, but I didn't think anybody else would make a connection.

I'm trying to stay on LB's good side, because I love his new avatar and today's BB pictures.

I have to confess I've known about the pictures for a while, and I'm glad I don't have to keep my mouth shut any longer!

They are masterworks.

He told me that you inspired the subject matter of the pincusion in mine.

Excellent work!

I suggested you chop him up into squares and sew him into a quilt, but he chose the pincushion option. It's easier to tell what it is that way!

No surprise--mine involves Disney World. Of course. It's awesome!

[kayrharris]

Maybe we can still work out chopping him into squares and sewing him into a quilt.



Just a suggestion.

[Ritterskoop]

I bet they would cut you a deal and give you both dogs for the price of one.....

[peacock2121]

I bet they would cut you a deal and give you both dogs for the price of one.....

I had that same thought.

[minimetoo26]

Maybe we can still work out chopping him into squares and sewing him into a quilt.



Just a suggestion.

Beast? Or Snuggle Bear?

[littlebeast13]

Hmmmmm.... somehow I missed this thread.

But I guess someone wants this out in the open now.....

Spoiler

And that, my friends, is the oldest surviving BB portrait. It was all uphill from there....

lb13

[minimetoo26]

Hmmmmm.... somehow I missed this thread.

But I guess someone wants this out in the open now.....

Spoiler

And that, my friends, is the oldest surviving BB portrait. It was all uphill from there....

lb13

It was BDM's day today! I thought mine would get aired when I escaped next month and you could show everyone how much fun I was (not) having!!!

[littlebeast13]

Hmmmmm.... somehow I missed this thread.

But I guess someone wants this out in the open now.....

Spoiler

And that, my friends, is the oldest surviving BB portrait. It was all uphill from there....

lb13

It was BDM's day today! I thought mine would get aired when I escaped next month and you could show everyone how much fun I was (not) having!!!

BWAHAHA! Now you have to share the day with BDM.....

And you thought you didn't have to keep your mouth shut any longer.....

lb13

[minimetoo26]

Hmmmmm.... somehow I missed this thread.

But I guess someone wants this out in the open now.....

Spoiler

And that, my friends, is the oldest surviving BB portrait. It was all uphill from there....

lb13

It was BDM's day today! I thought mine would get aired when I escaped next month and you could show everyone how much fun I was (not) having!!!

BWAHAHA! Now you have to share the day with BDM.....

And you thought you didn't have to keep your mouth shut any longer.....

lb13

Today is also Demon Child's birthday. There's a message in there, somewhere. I'll have to find an astrologist to figure out what that means...

[christie1111]

OMG!

That is perfect for Mini!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Uphill from there? Tough act to follow!

[MarleysGh0st]

PSM, how do they test the dogs to see if they're cat-friendly?

[SportsFan68]

PSM, how do they test the dogs to see if they're cat-friendly?

I'm curious about that too. We knew Casey would be OK because she was smaller than Clayton when she first came to live with us (her 11 lbages vs. his 13) and last on the seniority list.

She wanted to play with them to practice her herding, and of course allow them to herd her, but they weren't having any! The deal was finally struck when she was less than a year old and still trying to herd Clayton. He whacked her really hard across the nose with claws out, which drew blood and resulted in my dragging her into a shower to get the blood off, which didn't work because the warm water just made her bleed more from that tiny scratch, and she's never gotten close enough to get whacked again.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

PSM, how do they test the dogs to see if they're cat-friendly?

A cat volunteers.

Apparently somebody who works there has a brave cat. There is a man who is really strong and he comes in with a muzzled dog and the cat is introduced to the situation. The way that the dog reacts to the situation determines if he is cat safe. Some dogs try to go after the cat. Other dogs ignore the cat. Some dogs are afraid of the cat.

[sunflower]

Are dogs who are afraid of cats deemed "cat friendly"? Or is it only if they get along and/or are indifferent?

That's really very interesting actually, there is a lot more that goes on behind the scenes of a pet adoption than I realized. One of my friends used to do border collie rescue, so we were always playing with new dogs, but she only had one at a time and no cats, so there was no other animal dynamic to work with. She had a horse, but none of the dogs ever minded the horse!

[SportsFan68]

Are dogs who are afraid of cats deemed "cat friendly"? Or is it only if they get along and/or are indifferent?

That's really very interesting actually, there is a lot more that goes on behind the scenes of a pet adoption than I realized. One of my friends used to do border collie rescue, so we were always playing with new dogs, but she only had one at a time and no cats, so there was no other animal dynamic to work with. She had a horse, but none of the dogs ever minded the horse!

Casey loves horses, but she will always be on lead when she's around them. And not close then.

I can just imagine a horse saying, "I don't have to put up with this little bonehead SQUISH."

Or the horse's owner saying, "Get that dog away from there before I shoot him!"

[silvercamaro]

PSM, how do they test the dogs to see if they're cat-friendly?

At the rescue agency in OKC, they actually try to put the dogs in foster homes with both dogs and cats to see how the dogs behave in "real life" situations, not only with the cats but also with smaller dogs and children. If the foster family sees or senses any animosity on the dog's part, the dog is removed from that home immediately and given a collar of a specific color (orange, I think) so that cat-owners can tell right away whether any particular dog might be cat-safe before any expense is incurred or falling-in-love committed.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

PSM, how do they test the dogs to see if they're cat-friendly?

At the rescue agency in OKC, they actually try to put the dogs in foster homes with both dogs and cats to see how the dogs behave in "real life" situations, not only with the cats but also with smaller dogs and children. If the foster family sees or senses any animosity on the dog's part, the dog is removed from that home immediately and given a collar of a specific color (orange, I think) so that cat-owners can tell right away whether any particular dog might be cat-safe before any expense is incurred or falling-in-love committed.

I think that this is a great idea!

Maddie, is terrified that the cat testing wasn't thorough enough and is worried that if we bring a dog home it's going to eat one of the cats.

[SportsFan68]

PSM, how do they test the dogs to see if they're cat-friendly?

At the rescue agency in OKC, they actually try to put the dogs in foster homes with both dogs and cats to see how the dogs behave in "real life" situations, not only with the cats but also with smaller dogs and children. If the foster family sees or senses any animosity on the dog's part, the dog is removed from that home immediately and given a collar of a specific color (orange, I think) so that cat-owners can tell right away whether any particular dog might be cat-safe before any expense is incurred or falling-in-love committed.

I think that this is a great idea!

Maddie is terrified that the cat testing wasn't thorough enough and is worried that if we bring a dog home it's going to eat one of the cats.

It's been my experience with numerous blended feline/canine families that the dog is usually at risk, not the other way around. The cats have stickers, and they're not afraid to use them. Plus they have that ineffable "I'm the boss" air, which seems to work every time, especially when they have seniority in the house.

In other words, I'm convinced that the testing is thorough enough and wouldn't hesitate to bring a cat-tested canine into my home.

[hermillion]

I just love learning all the back-room details that go along with the rescue and adoption of these doggies.

And I can't wait to hear about the new Suchard canine!