Straydog UPDATE posted SUNDAY 1/26/03 at ~8:47 p.m. CT

Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log

SUNDAY JANUARY 26 2003

All is well, so far, at Candy's new home

     This morning I received an email message from Candy's new dad. He wrote that all was going along just fine with Candy, so far. He said that last night after they all arrived home, Candy and Tommy ran around the big fenced back yard together and then went their separate ways to take care of business. When they went inside, Candy enjoyed checking out her new home. She was still timid, and Betty and David know it will be a while before she warms up to them, but they are such loving and kindhearted people it won't take Candy long.

     Candy hadn't met the cats as of last night's phone call. Since the cats sensed a new furry arrival, they stayed out of sight, but this morning the dad said that Candy "tolerates the cats," which is really good to hear. And, he added, that Candy has claimed the dining room, kitchen and laundry room as "her turf," and she loves to be inside the house.

     Betty and David will keep us posted. So far it sounds as if everything is going along okay.

A supporter of Straydog drives almost two hours in drizzly, cold weather to bring us a dog house

     Dorinne has been a supporter of our Happy Home for Strays for quite a while, and she paid us an unexpected visit late yesterday afternoon to bring us a big Igloo dog house. Since she had never been to see our shelter before, we took her on "the tour," and she met most all the dogs in the drizzly, cold weather. She even met Old Granny Snowflake and saw the two little pups, Blind Chocolate Chubs and his seeing-eye sister, Cassie. It was really nice of her to make the long trip, and we can certainly put the big dog house to good use!

Tipper and Pepsi move in together. Let's hope it lasts!

     Beautiful Shepherd mix, Tipper, is a young lady who's very hard to match up with a kennel companion, which you've probably heard us mention several times before. She is such a gentle, loving, sweet dog we just can't understand why she hasn't been adopted.

     Tipper is very "choosy" about whom she likes as a dog playmate, which is the reason she has a kennel by herself, and if she does show us that she likes the new friend we introduce her to, the friendship usually lasts for only a short while before she lets us know that she wants the "new guy" to be moved out of her kennel. [Tommy Tootles had been Tipper's kennel mate for several years before he moved out of Tipper's kennel shortly before Tommy was adopted by Betty and David Daly, and since that time Tipper hasn't wanted anyone as a kennel mate, except for Chocolate Lab Daniel, who was adopted just a few weeks after becoming Tipper's kennel mate.]

     We like all the dogs here to have companions, and we've tried five-month-old German Shepherd mix, Pepsi, with Tipper (who is about six years old) on several occasions. They played okay in the play yard together, but Tipper became a little too rough with the pup when we put him on a trial basis in Tipper's kennel with Tipper, so we thought it best to keep them separated for a while.

     Pepsi is much bigger now, almost as big as Tipper, and he continues to grow fast. Today we let them play together in the play yard, where they got along fine, so we put Pepsi in Tip's kennel with her, and she has gotten along beautifully with him all day. Lets hope this lasts so Tipper can finally have a permanent play mate!

     [Pepsi's previous companion was Retriever mix, Candy, who has tentatively been adopted by Betty and David Daly, and now Pepsi needs a companion, which is the reason we're trying him with Tipper.]

Little six week old puppy, Black Lab Cassie, meets bigger puppy, Melinda

     Since all puppies need a lot of socialization with other puppies and dogs, I introduced little Cassie to bigger pup, Melinda, today. Melinda is a gentle pup, and she was very gentle with Cassie--most of the time. When she began to get a little too rough, we separated the pups. This is good for them both to be together tho, and if Chubs hadn't been snoozing, we would have had the three of them play together for a while, which we'll try tomorrow.