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.
Day before
Yesterday ...
Straydog UPDATE posted SATURDAY 1/25/03 at ~8:30 p.m. CT
Tommy Tootles with his adoptive parents visited us during Saturday Adoption Day at Petsmart during the summer of 2001.
Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log
SATURDAY JANUARY 25 2003
Candy is tentatively adopted!
Betty and David Daly are the wonderful couple who adopted Tommy Tootles from our shelter almost two years ago, and I was really surprised this morning when they called. David told me how well Tommy was doing (we've heard from the Dalys occasionally during the time Tommy has been with them), and then David really surprised me when he said they'd like to adopt a companion for Tommy! Of course the new companion dog and Tommy would have to get along together, and in addition to this, their new pet would have to be well behaved around the couples' two elderly cats.
Candy would be perfect!
Candy is a gentle, lovable, young, petite Retriever mix, just about the same size (height-wise at least) as Tommy. And she likes cats--at least she did like the vet clinic cat that freely roamed the clinic where Candy and her sister were boarded a year and a half ago during their stay at the clinic until we had the room to bring the siblings to our Happy Home for Strays.
Candy is very shy which is why she has never been adopted. People showing an interest in Candy have always decided against adopting her because she is such a timid little dog, and they all saw this as a problem.
Not so with Betty and David!
Betty and David brought Tommy with them this afternoon, and it was wonderful for me to see Tommy Tootles again. He looked beautiful and happy, and he remembered me.
When I brought Candy to meet Tommy, the couple fell in love with shy little Candy right away. They wanted to open up their hearts and their home to Candy, and we all were hoping Candy and Tommy would get along.
The introduction goes beautifully between Candy and Tommy
We introduced the two dogs outside the wood fence at the front of our shelter, where it would be quieter without 65 other dogs barking at them, and Tommy and Candy got along instantly! Lots of happy tail wagging went on, and they even gave each other a few little nose to nose kisses!
This was wonderful, and we all agreed that there was no problem with the dogs liking each other. Candy was a little shy with her new mom and dad, but I'm sure it won't be long before Betty and David win the trust of this sweet little dog. They are very understanding of her shyness and don't see it as a problem.
I got Candy's things together (her health records, dog food and toys) and put her collar on her, and off the Daly's went to take their new pet home.
Candy's mom called several hours later to tell me how great everything is working out with Candy and Tommy and that Candy had ridden part of the way home on her new mommy's lap!
Saturday Adoption Day in Dallas produced no adoptions
We did better with adoptions at home than at our Adoption Day in Dallas today. It makes you wonder, but we'll continue taking a van load of dogs to Dallas every Saturday, during which adoption days we have been very fortunate to adopt out many dogs over the past several months.
*Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log
LAST WEEK:
*Photo Pages and Videos
LAST WEEK:
*MPEG Video: Brigitte, Gidget and Justin's 1st trip to the park
(2) Davey goes to the Big Play Yard for his first playtime visit
WEEK BEFORE LAST:
*MPEG Video: Snowflake walks in the snow in the park.
(2) Photos of our "big" snow of Sunday, January 12, 2003.
(3) More snow photos: Pups Melinda, Bonnie and Blake PLUS Toby.
(4) More snow photos of our shelter
(5) Snowflake suites up and goes for a walk in the snow
(6) Back inside Snowflake looks out her window at the snow.
(7) Heather on her first morning with us (March 13, 2003)
(8) More of Heather on her 1st morning at Straydog
(9) Photos of snow remaining on the ground from yesterday, 1/12/03
(10) While still at the clinic Davey gets some attention from Guy
(11) Davey comes home from the clinic and temporarily moves into Helen's old kennel (1/14/03)
(13) Chubs and Cassie playing on the kitchen floor, continued.
*MPEG Video: Chubs and Cassie play on the kitchen floor.
(14) Pat gives Davey some attention just before sunset
*MPEG Video: Davey and Pat in Davey's kennel
(15) Sunset on a chilly evening (1/16/03)
*MPEG Video: Bill talks of coming cold night
*MPEG Video: "It's going down into the 20s."
*Adoption Day Saturday, February 1, 2003 - PetsMart at Central at Parker in Plano, Texas.
*Our Dogs for Adoption - Volunteer Shannon's page
*Our Dogs for Adoption listed on Petfinder.org
*Our Mission & How We Got Started
*"Goodbye, Danny Boy." - An example of the only acceptable use of euthanasia
Special-needs
dogs (including puppies) raise vet bill!
If you would like to help with the vet expenses, you may send your tax deductible donations directly to:
Morton Small Animal Clinic
1404 E. Tyler Street
Athens, Tx. 75751
and please make a note on your check that the donation is for Straydog Inc. so they'll be sure to apply your donation to our Straydog account. (Or you may send a donation directly to Straydog Inc., P.O. Box 1465, Gun Barrel City, Texas 75147.)
As always we thank you, very, very much, for your help.
List of some of the items we're in need of:
One of our supporters emailed us recently suggesting that we post a "wish list" on our website, and here it is:
Right now we need:
Bunches of Puppy House Breaking pads for the tiny puppies
We Always Need:
Postage Stamps, paper towels, bleach, dish soap, X-large Rubber Gloves, a few Pointed Shovels and Garden Rakes, Dog Leashes, various sizes of Snap-On Dog Collars (not the buckle collars) and various sizes of Dog Harnesses.