Adventures in Fostering: A Total Foster FAIL

I've been a foster volunteer for the Austin Animal Center for about 3 years now, and I receive emails of adorable kittens, puppies, cats and dogs on a daily basis. While I might glance a few extra times at the cuter ones, I'm usually pretty good at clicking "delete" and going about my business. We are very thoughtful about when (and who) we take in as a foster, and having just adopted out Beckham a few weeks ago, we had decided to take a break until after the wedding. That is, until I saw this video on Friday afternoon:

Of course I forwarded it on to Hank, and his immediate reply was "Go get her!" In hindsight, I should know better than to send something to him if I really don't want to make it happen. But he has always been supportive of my animal habit (in reality, he's just as bad as I am), and given the negative 55 kennel spaces available on Friday, I made the call to go ahead and pick her up after work. All I knew from the email that accompanied her video was that she was 6 weeks old, and had been picked up off the side of a very busy street by a nice samaritan who then dropped her off at the shelter. Busy streets are no place for a little puppy to be roaming, and neither is a shelter! So the foster team went into action to get her into a home so that she would be more comfortable until she became available for adoption.

So that's how I ended up at the shelter on a Friday afternoon, and just two weeks out from our wedding, taking home an adorable 6 week puppy. And by adorable, I seriously mean the world's cutest dog, hands down, EVER! The video doesn't do her justice. We got her home and let her meet our two dogs, and then the cats, and everyone seemed to be doing fine. She wasn't the least bit scared of everyone, so we knew this would be an easy foster. 

Her first glamour shot hanging out in the backyard.

Foster dog, my ass. Within the first 24 hours, we had both pretty much decided that this dog was way too special to rehome, and knew that we had met our first foster FAIL. We took her to breakfast on Saturday morning, and it was like a celebrity was out on the patio. Not one person could walk by her without making kissy faces and baby talk at her. She really is that cute. She fell asleep in Hank's arms, and we were pretty much done at that point. We just knew we had to keep her. 

We *think* that she is part Australian Shepherd, which is a breed that I've always loved. And she'll be a great running partner, which is something that Hank really wanted in our next dog. But we had always planned on waiting until Marley was just a tad bit older before bringing another permanent dog into the mix. We're ok with being a year or two early on that idea. It will just be a full house for a bit, especially as she continues to grow bigger (and how big that will be, we have no idea).

I spent most of Saturday with her, working really hard on potty training. We're crate training her and being very diligent about going outside right after eating/drinking, and about every 20 minutes that she's roaming the house. Our goal is to have her potty trained within a couple of weeks. After that, we'll start some serious (life-long) training as I want to take advantage of having such a smart dog in our household. If she really is a working breed, then it will benefit all of us to keep her mind active and engaged. 

The shelter named her Bonnie, and we thought about keeping it. But we have an actual friend named Bonnie, and it just felt a little weird calling her that. I liked the idea of a B name though, so after some thinking, we decided to call her Brees. I love the Saints, and her coloring is black and tan, so it seemed appropriate and fun. Plus, Drew Brees is an all-around fantastic guy, so who wouldn't want to be named after someone like that?!

She continues to impress anyone who comes into contact with her, and it's been fun taking her out on little adventures over the weekend. She's so easy going, and I hope exposing her to being out and about makes it easy to continue doing so as she gets older. 

So now that we have 5 permanent animals, Hank said I have to actually get my volunteer hours by GOING to the shelter, and not just bringing animals home. We will have to shut down our foster services for awhile, but I will keep volunteering, as I feel like it's an important way to spend my time. I'm sure we will have plenty of Brees posts, and hopefully you don't mind being inundated with cute puppy pictures, because we just can't get enough of her right now. We're being very conscious of making sure our other animals don't feel neglected, and are giving them plenty of attention too! 

Showing off her pretty markings.

Fast asleep at Taco Deli.

Occupying herself while riding in the car. 

Marley had to check out the crate.

And fast asleep again. It's hard being so cute!

If you aren't already following Amy in Austin on Bloglovin', feel free to add me please! You can also check out some other great blogs to add to your feed too.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Adventures in Fostering: Crate Training for Dogs

We still have our adorable foster dog Beckham, and I wanted to briefly visit a training technique that we've been using with him- crate training! Most people might associate crate training with puppies, as it's the best way to set boundaries and teach potty training. But those same skills sometimes need to be learned by older dogs too. Bringing home a new animal (especially when you already have 4 animals) means that you need to take precautions and keep everyone safe, so we rely on a crate to help us achieve that.

Not knowing much about Beckham before he made his way to us, there was no way that we would let him have free run of the house. Especially when we learned of his marking behavior indoors. So when we aren't home, or when we're in bed at night, Beckham gets to hang out in his extra large wire crate. For some dogs, this is a big adjustment. How you go about introducing the crate to a dog can make or break your success with it. We got pretty lucky with this guy, but I know from past experiences that it's not always that easy.

First things first- make the crate a comfortable place, and create positive associations with it. Throw some yummy, smelly treats in there and let the dog go in and out to get them. Put the dog in the crate for short time periods while you're home, so they can still see and hear you. (Dinner time is good because we can have uninterrupted meal time.) Give them a bone or dog puzzle to play with to keep them entertained. Practice leaving the house for 5-10 minutes, returning to let the dog out of the crate, and then spending a little time playing together afterwards. You don't want the dog to think of the crate as punishment, so it's important to build up the time slowly, and continue to make positive associations with it.

Neither one of us are licensed dog trainers, but we've learned a few things on our fostering journey that have helped with successfully having other animals in our house. This has been a key technique in teaching certain behaviors (and preventing other ones), and helping to keep everyone safe and out of trouble.

Here's Beckham enjoying his crate all on his own- the door is still open and he decided to take a nap in there. 

Adventures in Fostering: Meet Beckham

It was an exciting evening in our household- we brought home our newest foster dog, Beckham!  Hank and I have been considering a new foster for a few weeks, and came across this sweet, scared dog just shaking away in his kennel when we went back to visit the shelter on Sunday. After walking him around a bit (he's a dream on the leash) and spending a little time with him, we felt that his calm temperament would be a good fit in our house.

Unfortunately, he came in as a stray and had not yet been neutered, so we <sadly> left him at the shelter overnight so that his surgery could be taken care of on Monday, and then be picked up after work. All we knew about him was that he was 3, male, and picked up as a stray. But later in the day, his age was updated to 7, and then 8 (after a more thorough medical evaluation). We had a mild panic attack, because we try to foster dogs who might need a little bit of work, but are still highly adoptable. The age thing caused us to think about it for a bit, but we decided he was just too sweet and deserved so much better than his current situation. We weren't going to discriminate for that!

When I picked him up yesterday, I also learned (and had already assumed given his current condition) that he is heartworm positive. Most people freak out only because they don't know a whole lot about it. But it's treatable, and not the end of the world by any means. It just means that someone hasn't been taking good care of Beckham, and he needs some meds to get that cleared up. Even given his age, I have no doubt that once he's scrubbed clean and given a little extra TLC, he will make someone a very lucky pet friend. Check out this cute video of him leaving the shelter:

Beckham is a toy Spaniel/Collie mix. Those breeds are known for having fun and loyal personalities. With his age, he is past the puppy antics, but still has good energy. We're limiting his activity because of his surgery, but I wouldn't put it past him being able to go for a little jog next week. He's so easy on the leash, and pretty calm in the house- he would make a great pet for just about anyone!

So how do we make fostering work for our household? If you know anything about us, you know we already have 4 permanent animals- 2 small dogs and 2 cats. We are careful in choosing a foster- a friendly temperament is usually the number one thing we look for as our primary concern is making sure that everyone is safe and happy. Here are the first few important steps for a smooth entry into a new home:

1. Setting up the dogs/animals for a successful meet and greet. Give everyone time to sniff and get acclimated, and introduce the dogs separately before allowing everyone to be together. The more positive associations you can make, the better. For our dogs, that means good smelly treats, and lots of them!

Everyone is sniffing (and thankfully getting along).

2. Keep a close eye when you allow the dog into the home. For us, this was a first introduction to cats (we had no idea what Beckham's previous experiences have been) and again I wanted to make sure everyone was safe. But we also had to keep an eye on potty behaviors. He did all his business outside, but he did mark once or twice while exploring the house. This will be one of the first things we work on with him.

3. Give the dog a safe place to be. They should not have full run of the house (at least for awhile) and need to learn that it's ok to chill out in their own space. We borrowed a large wire crate from some friends, and set it up in our living room. We made it comfy, and put a nice chewing bone in there. While we ate dinner, this is were Beckham was so that we could have a relaxing meal, and still have him close to us. He also spent the night in the crate (which we moved to our bedroom), and after a little bit of whining, he fell fast asleep for the entire night.

We're excited to have this little guy with us, and I'll keep posting the things we do to get him as adoptable as can be.

Beckham

Adventures in Kitty Fostering: The Importance of Spay/Neuter

I took both kitties to the shelter on Thursday night so that they could have their spay/neuter surgeries on Friday. I've learned that small animals have a quick recovery time, but I was most concerned about them having to spend the night in a cage, surrounded by all kinds-of noise. Millie (our recent foster pup) took all of 2 hours to recover before she dashing around the house at high rates of speed. Our kitties were no different.

They were docile on the ride home, just staring at me in anger through the side of the cage. When we made it home, I put them in their playpen so that they would have access to food/water/litter box, and have the chance for what I thought would be much needed sleep. Not so much. Within 5 minutes, they were wrestling each other and trying to climb out of the pen. So much for recovery time!

That leads me to the point of WHY it's so important to have your pets spayed or neutered. Our animal populations are out of control, and it not only affects shelters and rescue organizations, but it also burdens our city finances. Food and blanket donations don't pay for the staff, medical supplies and buildings needed to provide appropriate care for our homeless animals. Money does. And that money comes directly from your taxes. We're lucky to live in a city that values the lives of animals, and they receive great care while in the charge of our city shelter. But the sheer volume that has come through this year has been an extraordinary burden.

There are options for low-cost clinics and even a free, mobile spay/neuter van that targets lower poverty areas. But there are still plenty of people who do not see it necessary to have their animal "fixed". Every animal that leaves our shelter (or associated foster home) has this surgery, and I'm glad that Bess and Bernard recovered so quickly. As cute as they are, we don't need them contributing to an already out of control cat population.

Taken 2 seconds before Bernard pounced on Bess.

In other news, I believe that Bernard (now possibly "Sawyer") has found his forever home. A co-worker came to meet him on Saturday after seeing his pictures and kitty cam. She recently had to say goodbye to her 18 year old cat, and was hesitant about adding to her household so soon. But Bernard is as cute as they come, so he went home with her that afternoon. He seems to be fitting in well so far, using his kitty box thoroughly and even climbing the kitty tower that she already had. He's made fast friends with her son's dog, and we're hoping that she can win over the other male cat that was already in the household. I'm glad that he's in a home with other pet friends, as he loves to play with other animals, and hopefully they will keep him from being lonely.

Already making himself at home on his new couch.

Playing on his new cat tower.

The last picture I took of Bernard- sharing the window sill with Katie. Happy tails sweet guy!

Unfortunately, the weekend did not have a happy ending for Bess. She handled the separation from her brother alright, and even spent the night in our room (on Marley's bed). At 11, I took her to the shelter's off-site adoption event at PetCo. Since she's the more independent one, I figured she would do just fine and would get a lot of attention because she's so darn cute. Wrong. So very, very wrong. She was traumatized by the surroundings, and was shaking in the cage I had to put her in. I lost it. I was sobbing hysterically in the store, feeling so bad for subjecting her to three days of "changes". Surgery, losing a brother, and now this. I called Hank from the back of the store in tears, wanting to take her home immediately. I waited it out for a few hours, and left her there once I saw that she had settled in.

She hid under the hammock for most of the time.

She was able to fall asleep for a bit.

We never got the call that she had been adopted (no surprise considering how terrified she looked), so Hank went to pick her back up. The lady in charge of the event asked if she was always like this- she seemed concerned. Hank was just convinced that she had sandbagged the event, because the second she got home- it was game time with Katie (the one time feral cat). She was absolutely fine once she got back to our house. I know Katie was missing her, and was more than happy to have her back. I moved Bess' favorite blanket onto the floor next to my side of the bed, where she slept comfortably until this morning. I picked her up and let her snuggle with me for a bit, and she was just unbelievably cute curled up under my arm. Such a sweet, sweet kitty! I know the right home is out there for her, but I'm just going to have to find another way to find it. I don't think I can subject either of us to that trauma again.

Adventures in Kitty Fostering: Making Friends

I've been so lucky with the 3 dogs that I have fostered- they all seemed to fit in at home pretty easily and got along with my other animals. Of course, I'm very careful who I pick to foster, doing my best to identify personalities that are pretty easy going. With Bess and Bernard being my first kitty fosters, I really wasn't sure what to expect. How long should I wait to introduce them to everyone? How much freedom do I give them when out loose with the other animals? Luckily our 2 dogs and 2 cats are pretty pet tolerant, so my worries were less about them, and more about the kitties feeling comfortable and safe.

Well, I only had to worry for about 5 minutes. The initial introductions (done one at a time) resulted in a couple of hisses. Likely because it was the kitties first introduction to other animals. But once Bailey the calico came to see them, they seemed to get that there were good things about these other animals. Bailey will lick them. Katie (the other cat) will play with them, and Maddie (the peekaboo) will chase them all over. Marley could really care less, but the kitties LOVE to play with her tail that seems to be constantly wagging. When the kitties are let loose in the house (only when we're home to chaperone), al kinds of fun happens.

Bess and the cookbooks. She loves to crawl on them and paw at anyone who walks by.

Katie and Bess chilling out on the coffee table.

Kitties on the table!

Bailey and Bernard- she's less than amused by their antics, but at least willing to tolerate them.

Adventures in Kitty Fostering: The Art of Cat Naps

My older cat Bailey is no stranger to napping. In fact, she's a master at it! So it's no surprise that the kitties looked to her for guidance in how to do it properly. She has her favorite chair, and that is where most naps occur during the day. It was her chair at my apartment, and it's still her chair at the new house. She shares it with no one, until now.....

On Sunday, I was in the kitchen for most of the afternoon. The kitties were running amuck in the house and wore themselves out. Meanwhile, Bailey was keeping me company while napping in her favorite chair. I peeked over at her just in time to see this happen:

Bess decides to join Bailey in her chair.

Not one to be left out, Bernard quickly followed, and settled in next to Bailey.

She was less thrilled to have the company, and buried her head to ignore it. I could not get over how ridiculously cute the whole thing was, though. And I certainly appreciate her being willing to tolerate them for a nap. It's great socialization for the kitties, and they both seem to look to her as if she really is their mom. Of course, the fact that Bess is her doppelgänger just makes it that much cuter! Unfortunately, both kitties seemed to realize what a great nap chair it is, and decided to hog it last night. No worries though- Bailey cuddled with us on the couch and everyone stayed happy.

Adventures in Fostering: Keeping Kitties Safe

I can't believe that it will be one week tomorrow that I've had these little babies. They are gaining weight and getting strong- and boy do they like to play!! The kitty cam is gaining more viewers, and I certainly enjoy getting to watch them throughout the day. Their routine is pretty simple: sleep, eat, play, pee/poop- repeat! All. Day. Long.

A couple of viewers have commented on how long they stay in their "cage". First, I like to refer to it as their playpen. It's their safe place, and keeps them out of harm while we're away from the house. It's a lot like crate training a dog- you help them be aware of their space, teach them good potty habits, and keep them out of trouble. Little kittens- while awfully cute- can also be destructive. They haven't learned the rules of the house yet, so it's best for everyone (our other pets included) to give them their own spot to chill out in during the day.

When we're home, the kitties get the chance to run around Hank's office (where their pen is located), and they also get to explore the living room when we can keep our eye on them. They love exploring the lower window sills, and climbing on the couch. They also love it when Maddie chases them around. Luckily, all 4 of our animals have behaved themselves around the kittens, and in turn, the kitties are acclimating well to being around other pets. This will help them tremendously when it comes time for them to adapt to their forever homes.

I wish I had more pictures to share, but the truth is they are only still when they're sleeping. Hank was able to snag this picture of them the other day- "just another day at the office."

I'm going to try and get some better pictures of them this weekend- I need them to create flyers for when I take them to adoption events. That's still a few weeks away, so at least I have some time.

Both kitties are eating well, and Bess is using the litter box 100% now! That has certainly helped with how often I'm cleaning up their pen. It does take some work taking care of them, but I have loved every second of it. Their morning feeding is probably my favorite, and it's certainly when they're the most vocal. They are HUNGRY first thing in the morning and cry until I get that plate of wet food in front of them. But other than feeding them several times a day, scooping out the litter box, and making sure they're bedding is all nice and clean- the rest of the time is just playing with them and keeping them out of trouble. Anyone could do this, really!

Kitty Cam!!

The kitty cam is live! I'm trying to pilot this project to see how much web traffic and interest it brings. If it's successful, we will try to implement this for more fosters at our Animal Shelter and hopefully increase adoptions. In order for this to be a success though, I'm asking for everyone's help. I need to spread the word and drive as much traffic to the site as possible.

Not only will you be helping me (and countless homeless animals out), but you will also be entertained by my most adorable foster kittens. When they're not napping, they are so much fun to watch!! Check out the link below, share it with your friends, and do a small part to help spread the word on adoption.

Foster Kitty Cam: Bernard and Bess

Adventures in Kitty Fostering: My First Kitties

Saturday was a big day. I had a stellar 7 mile run in my brand new pair of limited-edition Mizuno Wave Riders. Aren't they specatular?! Funny how great a new pair of shoes can feel. Thank you CORE Running Company for ordering these for me.

After running (and refueling with coffee and breakfast tacos) I went to the shelter to help with a special project- 3 hours of unboxing and organizing 100 dog crates. I was beat! But in that process, we ended up with all these additional pieces from the crates that we could not use. I thought about it, and realized that they could easily be zip-tied together to create a play pen perfect for......FOSTER KITTIES!!

I receive emails on a daily basis with single, pairs, and whole litters of kittens in need of foster, and have been able to hold off until this weekend. I got an email with the cutest pair of kitties on Friday, and couldn't stop thinking about them. Once I realized I had a FREE play pen to keep them in, I texted Hank and it was done. He is so supportive of my crazy animal addiction and I appreciate that more than he knows!! He just said as long as I was in charge of them, he was ok with it.

So I snagged Bianca (now Bess) and Bernard and headed home. They did not make a sound the whole way, even when we stopped at my parent's house and at Petsmart. They are so teeny tiny and adorable, I can barely stand it!

Tiny, hungry kitties!

Bernard. He currently weighs 1.5 pounds, and is the lover of the pair.  Also, 100% litter box trained (my hero!)

Bess. She's the runt, weighing just 1.25 pounds. But she loves to run, climb, and tackle her brother.  Not totally litter box trained yet, but we're making significant progress.

The dogs knew something was up the second I walked in the door, but I tried to keep everyone separated for at least a few hours until the kitties were settled in. I put together their play pen (set on top of a painters cloth and two layers of towels- in case of accidents) and set up the litter box and food bowls. I had read not to use clay clumping litter (in case they eat it), so I bought a special bag of Blue Diamond kitty friendly litter. Bernard went to it almost immediately, but I could not get Bess to use the box to save my life. I don't think she liked the larger sized pellets. After a little more research, I switched to a non-clay clumping litter, set her in it and played around with my fingers a little bit to show her how fun litter can be. (I can't believe I've been reduced to this.)

Of course, Bernard saw the endless possibilities of the new litter, and immediately spread half of it out of the box, and then proceeded to lay in the hole he dug up. But finally, FINALLY.... I was able to get Bess to go in it. After much praise, I'm hoping this will be the new trend.

I let the dogs and cats come in to meet them one at a time. The dogs were all over it- Maddie's tail was wiggling so much, and she would just lay outside the pen and watch them. Marley could care less, but she likes to be in the room with the kitties and keep an eye from a distance. There was a little hissing at first, but I think they are no longer afraid of the bigger animals. I was really really hoping that my calico Bailey would play surrogate mom to the kitties- who seemed to think she was their mom as soon as she walked into the room. Bailey walked up to the playpen and sniffed the kitties, who immediately started purring. But then she hissed at them, turned around and walked back out.

Bailey and her matching kitties.

They play hard, and rest hard. I love how much they enjoy cuddling together. 

After a hard play session (they love running freely around the room, chasing each other and climbing on everything) it was time for lights out. I went to bed early, but Hank went to check on the kitties one last time. I was sound asleep when he came running in the room holding one of the kittens, yelling "the kitties got out!" Not sure what was going on, I got up, went to the office and sure enough- no kitties. The little rascals had climbed right out the top. I was warned this would happen, but figured I had at least a few days before they were brave enough to do so. I thought wrong! After wrangling up the other kitty, Hank secured the top with two additional crate pieces I brought home, and we closed the office door just in case.

Busted!

I'm in the process of setting up a USTREAM feed so that I can keep my eye on them during the day. I'm not happy with my otherwise fabulous MacBook Pro right now, because Apple seems to think the built-in iSight is superior enough, so it won't play nice with any webcams. I have one that has a beautiful picture, but I just need to figure out how to get the USTREAM app to recognize it. Once that's accomplished, I'll share the link in case any other crazy cat people want to be entertained as well.

So- there is our big weekend. We should have the kitties for at least 3-4 weeks until they weigh enough for their spay and neuter surgeries. Once those are done, they will start attending adoption events until they find their forever home. A friend asked how in the world I can foster animals without keeping them all. Really- it's a lot like babysitting. You get all the fun and pleasure of taking care of them for a bit, but you get to hand them off to their parents for the bulk of the work. Yes, I get attached. But I know what I'm signing up for when I bring home a foster animal, and I love the satisfaction of finding them just the right home!

A Home for Millie

Yesterday was a bittersweet day. Millie met her potential future family, and they decided that she is a perfect fit for their home. (I agree!) That was the sweet part. The bitter was when I had to take her to the shelter to spend the night so that she could have her spay surgery this morning. It was pure torture kissing that little face goodbye, knowing that she would be scared to death in a kennel overnight.

Luckily, the amazing staff at the shelter scooped her right up and promised that they would hold on to her until they had to leave for the day. At least she would get a little extra attention before going into a kennel for the night. I get to pick her up after work, love on her like crazy tonight, and then take her to her new home tomorrow. Hunk is going with me so that we can say goodbye together, and I know it won't be easy. We have really loved taking care of her this week, but this is what fostering is all about.

A good foster family shows love and attention, teaches the dog new things, and helps socialize them and build their confidence. They also work to find the most perfect home for the dog, and then they have to say goodbye. It's not easy, but I feel really good about giving her a great home instead of having to sit at the shelter until someone decided to adopt her. At least this way I have control over where she goes, and I can rest easy knowing that she's in the best hands.

Her new family includes a co-worker and friend of mine, so we will get updates on how she is doing. They also have two dogs, so Millie will have friends to play with (something that was very important to me). I know once she recovers from her surgery and settles into her new home, she will be more than happy. So goodbye sweet Millie. We'll miss your adorable face and hilarious growly barks, and are so happy that we got to spend a little bit of time with you.

Millie the Magnificent

If you follow me on Facebook, you often see desperate pleas for help regarding the overcrowding at the city animal shelter where I volunteer. I always encourage friends (and strangers who will listen) to adopt before they shop. We have some really great animals at the shelter who so desperately need homes, and Facebook has been one of the ways I have been able to spread the word about adoption.

Well, on Friday I had to put my money where my mouth is. It didn't seem right to ask everyone else to help if I wasn't doing all that I could. When Hunk and I first started discussing moving in together, the subject of fostering was one of the things we had to talk about. Combining households meant that we would have 2 dogs and 2 cats, and that seemed like quite enough. So I said that I would save fostering for emergency situations only.

With the recent storms in Austin, the shelter has reached intake levels that we never dreamed could happen. I got a message that on Thursday we had started the day with negative 27 kennels for dogs, and 28 more had come in that day. Dogs were literally everywhere, and a round of euthanizing had to take place. Typically, only dogs with severe medical or behavior issues are the ones to go, but when we're that overcrowded, they have to make space however they can. It's a tough pill to swallow, but that's just the hard reality of public shelters at times. We've worked miracles every month this year just to maintain a 90% or higher live outcome rate.

Knowing that Friday would bring more of the same, I chatted Hunk that it was emergency time. We discussed what we could take that would make sense for our already crazy animal kingdom, and decided that taking a more highly adoptable dog would be best for us. It would mean a shorter foster time (hopefully), but it would also clear out a kennel. Ultimately, that was our goal! I felt a little guilty about taking the easy way out, but knew we were still making a difference. We both looked at the available dogs online, weighing options for size and sex. Having all girls at home, a female dog (who could fit through the doggie door) seemed like the best fit. And then Hunk sent me this:

Link to most adorable puppy ever

I'll be honest- I wasn't really looking at puppies. Puppies=potty training, and I just wasn't sure I was up to the task. But then I saw that little bitty face, and thought about how scary it must be for her in a noisy shelter. I read her information and it said that she had just been brought in that day. I didn't know if she was owner surrender or stray, so I emailed the foster coordinator to find out. Turns out she had been picked up by animal control that morning in a not so great neighborhood. No one knows if she had been in a home, or wandered off from her mom and litter. But she was little (5 pounds) and young (barely 2 months old) and had no business being in the shelter by herself.

Typically all dogs must complete a 4 day stray hold before they are available for adoption, in case their owner comes to reclaim them. The foster coordinator made an exception for us and said we could take her home. BUT....if someone called to reclaim- we had to give her back no questions asked. 

Once we got to the shelter and saw her in person (shivering like crazy), we just knew that we could not leave her there. Even if she went back home the next day, we knew we could make her comfortable for that short time. So we got her checked out and made it to the car. It took all of 3 minutes for her to fall in love with her foster dad. We had to give her a name, and wanted to stick with the "M" theme of the current dogs (Marley and Maddie). Something a little old fashioned seemed just perfect. Meet Millie the Magnificent rescue pup. 

She's a blue merle Daschund/Beagle mix, and is the cutest thing I have ever laid eyes on. She has those big Beagle ears, and beautiful coloring. Plus tons of personality. It just doesn't get much better than this! We got her home, briefly introduced her to the other pups (everyone seemed fine), bathed her, and then hit the road for a house warming party. If Millie was going to stay at our house for a bit, she was going to learn very quickly that we lead busy, social lives!

I had called my friend on the way home just to let her know our sudden change in plans, and she said it would be fine to bring Millie to the party. We wrapped her up in a blanket and took her carrier just in case. She was a big hit at the party, and we hardly ever had to watch her (except for potty breaks). Everyone else there wanted to hold her. She did great, and seemed to enjoy the attention. But the crazy day wore her out, and this was how she was on the ride home.

We put her in her carrier for the night (potty training begins) and though she whined for about 15 minutes, she slept through the night. I took her with me for errands most of Saturday and I think that wore her out again. We met a friend for breakfast at Whole Foods, where she charmed anyone who spotted her. We went back to the shelter to help with kitty transport for an adoption event, and finally made our way home that afternoon. Hunk was happy to see her, and she was happy to get in a good nap.

She is officially available for adoption starting Tuesday, and I will work on finding the best home placement that I can. In the meantime though, I'm happy to have her staying with us. She seems to fit in just fine. Stayed tuned for more on Millie's story.