Our New Girl!!

[RoseMary]

I wanted all of you to meet Jackie. We adopted her from a local shelter last weekend:). She is a German Shepherd/Collie/? mix. She is about a year old and she's still a little shy about getting to know us, but she is a real sweetie!!

[Evelyn]

Rosemary:

She is a beauty!!! Lovely fur and soulful eyes! Congratulations.

Evelyn

[annielinz]

She is adorable, I hope you have many fun years together!

[Breezy]

Look at that face!!! What a pretty girl - congrats on your new family member.:)

[Gigi]

She is so BEAUTIFUL! Oh she is so lucky as are you--- just look at that face!

Wonderful to rescue an animal!!!

[Lisa S]

Oh she's so cute ~ I just want to kiss her nose. She's one lucky girl!

[chyna]

Good for you on adopting a rescue dog! She will eternally be grateful to you for getting her out of there. :)

[ChapterTwo]

Congratulations, RoseMary, on your new little sweetheart, Jackie. As the other ladies have said, she's really a beauty! I wish you many happy years together. You saved a helpless little soul! :)

[memmey]

A grateful dog, ohhhhh, you can't buy them you have to rescue them. What a lucky girl Miss Jackie is. She is so pretty. Miss Jackie welcome home.:)

[anneandkita]

Oooooh, she's GORGEOUS! She has the most beautiful face and such expressive eyes!

You should bring her over so I can play with her while you do my dishes. :D :D

I can't wait to hear stories about her as she gets to know you!

[RoseMary]

Jackie thanks you for all the comments about how beautiful she is:D! We had so much fun with her today.

The day we brought her home, she would fall down on the ground if you walked through leaves--because they crunched! That's how scared and timid she was! She's just spent so little time outdoors it's sad.

And, she is a little afraid of my husband. They didn't have any male volunteers at the shelter, so she's not used to men. She will come to him and let him pet her, but not happily. I'm going to get some treats for him to give her when she comes to him.

Today I took her up on the hill to a very large fenced in area my dad used for a garden, and I let her go. You should have seen her run!! She loves it. We've found a new playground for her, that's for sure.

[Gigi]

Oh Rosemary she has such a sweet soul~ I know she will blossom and soon will own the fields she is allowed to run on...

Yes, treats from your husband will make him a "safe" person- trusting. Best of luck to the whole family.

[Lisa S]

She's going to grow to love you both so much.

[Lynzee]

She's beautiful!

[chyna]

Just don't push her too hard and let her make the contacts and she should grow to adore your hubby and every new experience out there. Poor baby, I'm guessing she is from some byb or puppymill since she has no clue about the outdoors? Keep on loving her and she'll return it 10fold. :)

[RoseMary]

I think her main problem is that she has been at the shelter half her life and they have a very limited amount of volunteers. She has been in that concrete run most of the time and probably only out on a leash once or twice a week.

They have a lot of dogs in there--it's just sad to see so many that need homes. I may get a 'friend' for her in another couple of months.

I wish I could volunteer there and help them out, but it is over an hour drive from my house and I can't go down there very much.

She's very sweet and seems to be less afraid of things every day. I think she's going to be okay--it'll just take a while.

[CohenCottage]

Congratulations! She's so beautiful!! It sounds like you are having a wonderful time with her. Feel free to pester me with dog training or behavior questions...Shyness and fearfulness are often part of a dog's temperament rather than just a result of environment or experiences, and much of this is hereditary. You can definitely improve this with training and desensitization, but it takes being calm and assertive and working them through what they are afraid of. Many times people give lots of postive attention to their dog when it is scared, and that can really reinforce the fearfulness rather than helping them work through it. So, be sure to pet her and give her lots of treats when she is calm and not when she is being fearful! Sorry for all the unsolicited advice!!

[chyna]

Rosemary

Alot of rescues are always looking for foster parents for their animals too. That is just an idea out there for you to consider if you feel up to it. I would have a hard time doing it and would end up keeping half the dogs I was fostering. :o Also most rescues are looking for someone to do the paperwork type of stuff too, one of the crested group leaders was working on me to hand out pamphlets and info about the rescue group before she up and left the country. Or you can volunteer to transport a dog/cat.

Yes it would be wonderful to be able to volunteer at the shelter itself but not everyone can do that. I don't live that far from our shelters and still wouldn't be able to give my time like that but there are other ways I can help. Fostering isn't one of them becuase I have too many dogs as it is. :rolleyes: Though I'd try it anyhow. LOL

[RoseMary]

Thank you so much, Cohen--I will take all the advice I can get! She really is less fearful than she was when she came--still skiddish, but better. You can walk her on a leash and the 'crunchy' leaves don't bother her--it's progress! And, she is coming to my husband more now. Today she came right up the steps and stuck her head in the house--before today, she wouldn't even climb the steps and I wondered if she'd ever been up any before.

I realize that she may always be a little fearful/skiddish, but I'm hoping that she will come out of it. I would like an 'assertive' guardian type dog for our chickens and other pets. She may have to be 'second' in command, eventually, when we get another dog.

Tanya, I don't think I could do foster care--it would be too hard for me to let them go--I'd want all of them! When I go back to the shelter to give them a progress report (they want pictures for their bulletin board), I'll ask them about different types of volunteering.

[chyna]

I was reading something about making changes and more zen in you life in 2009 and they mentioned something about making rugs and donating them to the shelters/rescues. For those of you who have crotched and knitted your house and family to death and have scraps laying around that would be a nice idea. That again would be a time thing though. :p

[ChapterTwo]

Rosemary - I'm the same way...I can't foster. Everytime I've tried....woops, I had a new member of the household! :p

Chyna - that's a sweet idea about the little rugs for the shelters!

[CohenCottage]

Fostering is so much fun, but it is difficult to let them go! That's why we have 4 dogs :) We've fostered 25 dogs and have only kept 3, so my percentages aren't too bad. We only keep the really bad ones! My dog that I use for work demonstrations was returned 3 times before we fostered her. Now she's a service dog that just went to Telluride skiing and makes all my my $$ for me by demonstrating what a good trainer I am!

Seriously, though, training would be great for building her confidence. If you have a Sit Means Sit location near you, I would definitely give them a call. I'm not sure if there is an Arkansas location.

[RoseMary]

My pastor's wife raises and trains Collies to show. Right now she is training one as a service dog--for herself, as she is slowly going blind, so I can get some help from her. She loves her Collies, but she has had a lot of mixed breeds and shelter dogs, too.

Nope--No Sit Means Sit anywhere in AR. I think the closest is in Tulsa, OK. I live in a wilderness area, so there's not much of anything close to me.

[Deb D]

I am glad to meet Jackie, and hear how she is doing. If it wouldn't hijack the thread too much, I would like to hear about everybody's pets...

[Lisa S]

My cup runneth over with pets. They are:

Lucy, the Golden Retriever. She's three and just now turning into a decent pet. I love her like crazy, but she hasn't always been easy to love. I heard that some lines of Goldens are for hunting and some are for pets. Hunting lines don't make great pets ~ and that's our girl. She's scary smart and independent. It's been a rough road to show her that I'm really the boss, but she gets it now. She's the best cuddler in the world. I can honestly call her "friend".

Miles, the black lab/rottweiler. When we adopted Miles, he had just had his face stitched back together from where it looked like he had been kicked. His scar runs from his lip to his ear. He's also been a challenge. He spent a lot of his life being an outdoor dog, because he's been known to nip at kids. He's ten now and pretty arthritic. He spends his days in the house with me and his nights sleeping in my room, but I still don't allow him ANY unsupervised time with my younger kids. I spend a lot of my day making sure he's in the right spot at the right time. I've tried finding him another home, to no avail. He's mine for life.

MD (McDonalds) is our orange tabby. He is, without a doubt, the most wonderful cat in the world. We rescued him on a day that was below freezing and his was starving to death. He was hanging around McDonalds eating french fries from the teenagers who worked there. He really thinks he's a dog. He cries at the door to play outside with the kids. We sometimes take him for walks on a leash. He likes to eat doggie treats with the dogs and I swear he understands English.

Simon Headly and Dude are our fatty and skinny cats. They are two polar opposites.

[annielinz]

We are down to one pet and that is Pepper the cat. She is getting on in years, I think she will be 17 in April. She used to be quite robust but after a fight with the neighbors cat( a few years back) she had an abcess and had her ear torn she dropped a lot of weight. She seems healthy enough but has an appetite that won't quit and now begs for food--yet she is not gaining weight. Yes I'm in denial and haven't taken her to the vet.
I seem to be the only human she really cares for, she is not a lovey cat and its always on her terms. My DH is not a cat person.
Our other pet was a rescue dog named Billy. He was a black and white border collie mix with the shortest legs and the sweetest dog ever. We had him for 15 years. I do miss his little face.
My fear is when Pepper dies, DH has already said no more pets :eek:
I'm going to be like a little kid and say ohhh looked who followed me home.
I will be going part time next school year and am looking into volunteering at the Humane society to get my animal fix.

[Gigi]

Three Rescues:

Newest: Charlie a mix lab, beagle???- Left for a week on his own- owners had a foreclosure.

Bella~ Cinderella~ Yellow lab- left outside for 1 year- until it got very very cold- owners were taking her to the pound....

Sam- mixed sheltie- Went to two different pounds in 48 hours.

All the dogs were doomed--until someone made a call (to me!)-- lucky me- they all are wonderful animals.

Here is a pic of Bella (yellow lab) & Charlie (our newest rescue)...85

[Lisa S]

They sure look like they love each other!

[Gigi]

They really do- and they are crazy about our two granddaughters--

All the dogs run around like it's Christmas when they come over- and have to sleep with them too. I feel blessed they are feel the same way about each other.86

Sam & Charlie at Christmas time- I tried to get all THREE-lol- maybe next year. I think Charlie was laughing-- at this time he had been with us for only one week.

[Lisa S]

He looks like he just found heaven on earth.

[annielinz]

OMG Gigi they are just too cute......

I'm having dog envy :D

[RoseMary]

Oh, they are so cute together! I love dogs and cats both.

We have five cats~Rowdy from the dumpster, Poppy--the cat my folks gave us when they moved to the senior apartments, Pumpkin, a stray my hubby brought home last summer, Mousey 14 years old, and her mother Sabrina, 15 years old.

We have one other dog besides Jackie--a lab/airedale mix named Angus. He's an old guy now and doesn't have as much energy as he used to.

[chyna]

Hope your ready for this. :p

I have 5 chinese cresteds, yes since you last talked to me we added another.
Chyna is my original crestie. My brother in-law gave her to me for Christmas 10 yrs ago. Tough gift to top. ;)

After my brother-in-laws out of nowhere death (he was 37) we inherited 3 of his hairless dogs.

Gus is the father of all my girls and is 12. Right now we're going thru some health issues with the Gusser, he has a slow thyroid, heart problems, extremely dry skin, few teeth, had back surgery 5-6yrs but still full of spunk. In other words he sees a big dog and he is out to fight it. Gus is a lover most the time but apparently he does not like black labs.

Gypsie is the other twin of the terrible twins. Chyna is the other. She is of another mother and about 6mo younger than Chyna and a major grump. I think she is very insecure and just was never taught that this behavior is not going to be tolerated. Since living with us she has really come a long way and has turned into a bit of a love. Except for the growling and snapping at the other dogs.

Wuffie is the baby of the sisters and is the hairier of the hairless' I have. She also has one blue eye and her tongue hangs out the side of her mouth all the time. She is a total lover and is my gardening buddy. When I go out to work in the yard she is more than happy to find a spot in the grass and keep me company. Unlike the Terrible Twins I'm not having to constantly watch her to make sure she is still in the yard with me.

And now from a street corner being given away is our first powder puff. Tree Top, he is my dd's dog and she named him. She said that she looked around and saw tree tops and decided that was his name. We could change it but it is unique. :p Tree is 6mo and full of energy and the reason for the sudden rise in growling in my household. He apparently never learned doggie manners because he is always jumping on the others and plowing them over. He is also bigger than all of them. It is odd to have a big crestie around, I'm used to my little 8-12lb girls and round Gus.

We also have Kita and Tubby my two cats. We do technically have a third but Kita was so awful to the poor little thing that I begged my mom to take her and save her from a life of misery. Kita is a brat to say the least, torments the dogs and fights with her son Tubby. She is also the sweetest cat to humans which is her redeeming quality.

One cockatiel who I wish would just disappear. I have already put a promise out to Wuffie, Chyna and Tubby that I'll let them have the bird if he continues this abuse of the sound space. That is one loud little bird!!! No I won't actually do it but not hurting anything to threaten him so. Squeakl would be his name and I got him and his cage mate (RIP Pippen) from a rescue in town. Suppose you could call the woman who surrendered all of them a byb or bird mill-er. She had alot of birds.

And then 3 Beta fish, 5 goldfish and one cleaner.

I think that is all my zoo.

[ThriftShopRomantic]

Awww, Rose Mary, Jackie is adorable. I want to scratch her behind the ears. :)

[Gigi]

Chyna~ It sounds like the most wonderful zoo... :)

And Rosemary--five cats! Oh my~ I have had one~ black with one socks...so purrrity... I wouldn't be surprised if your new pup doesn't bring a bit of "new" life to your older dog...

[Deb D]

Let's see, what about Memmey's pets?

I still have Hibachi and Henry, the two cats. Bachi is almost 17, a barnyard orphan. He's pretty scrawny. It's difficult for old cats to keep weight on. I've decided not to intervene--he hates going to the vet, but still seems healthy. If I sit down, he MUST get in my lap. He still jumps, and asks to go outside. Otherwise he is content to sleep on the couch a lot, and hide when people come over. He's getting better about this, and stays to visit with friends he knows.

Henry is 3, and was given to me as a kitten. He is big, in fact a little chunky this winter. He's very sure of himself, and bullies Hibachi sometimes. He's my garden buddy, and purrs constantly. He loves to climb trees.

Some of you will remember the saga of Hawkeye the springer spaniel. My ex has him, along with a tribe of three other dogs. Hawkeye is 13 and completely deaf. Being around the other dogs helps him a lot. As far as I know, he's doing well.

Life is much richer for living with animals. Home feels complete with the cats around.

[Gigi]

Deb- I DO remember Hawkeye~ I believe you had posted a pic of him on the CL forum...

[RoseMary]

Yes, didn't you post a pic of you and Hawkeye together? I'm so glad that he is still doing well!