Categories - Part 2

So my simple thought of breaking down fosters into easy categories was not really so simple. Now I  feel we need a Meyers-Briggs personality chart for these dogs.


Take Kobe, he fit into several categories, easy keeper, face only a mother could love, skin and bones thin when he arrived.  Sophie was cute as a button and frightened of everything. Snowflake was part cute as a button, and part  possessed.  Sort of goes with the theory that everyone is half jerk/half jewel.

Mick is rock solid as a therapy dog, unless a plastic bag flies his way.  Then he completely freaks.  No, I haven't worked with him on that issue.  Flying plastic bags are a rarity, thank goodness.  Layla is both quick to learn and stubborn as an ox.  Being cute saves her sorry butt over and over again.  Hank was definitely an easy keeper, but dang could he break wind.  As much as we miss him the air quality has improved.  


It takes all kinds.  And all kinds have a zillion variables.  Makes life interesting for dog gone sure.

Easy Keeper

I think if one were to categorize foster dogs they would be ranked as follows.  


1.  Spooky aka possessed.
2.  Shy and/or timid - aka Sophie and Sidney, for example.
3.  Starvin Marvins - Pete, Kobe, Layla (think skeletor), dog who need
     some groceries.
4.  Cute as a button - anything under 4 months
5.  Irresistible- generally leads to a foster failure (sometimes stunning in 
     appearance, or a face only a mother could love.    
6.  Easy Keepers - all around good pups with no pronounced issues. 


Some you race to their forever home and wave a hasty good bye, other's you can barely drag yourself away from.  Some you just never let go.   Bailey is definitely an easy keeper.  Her new family is getting a gem of a pup. She has fit in with us so well.  Layla will surely miss her.  Mick, not so much.  He is a bit of an old fart and will only play with Layla.  We'll miss her because she keeps Layla occupied.


Of all the dogs Layla is the most outside oriented.  I swear the other day she asked for kibble to be served outside.  She'd rather be there than anywhere.  No matter how hot it is she is a happy camper.  Although at night she does enjoy the comfort of the master bed.


I hope that if I was classified I'd be an easy keeper too.  Wish we could all be that way.

Yes, No, Today, Tomorrow, Next Week

Tuesday we agreed to take in new foster dog.  Saturday was the day set to meet part way and pick her up.  Wednesday it was decided she might not come because of a pending home visit. Thursday it was decided she was coming, but on Friday. Friday before she even arrived it was decided the adoption was a go, but she was en route already.  So the plan was to send her back Saturday afternoon.  After she arrived it was decided she wouldn't leave the next day and would stay with us for a week before going to her new family.  To say the least our heads were spinning a little with all the updates.  

Luckily, from being a single mother for a number of years (thanks kids for keeping me guessing all the time), I'm used to a sudden change of plans, or two.  Rescue is sometime like that too, so I feel right at home.


Bailey is the first foster dog to arrive with ketchup on her leg.  It's still there, I think she's saving it for later, much later.  I can't decide if she likes ketchup or doesn't.  I may never know.  Obviously she enjoyed some fast food on her transport to us.

She is by far the easiest foster we've had to integrate into the home.  Her new family is getting a gem of a pup.  In the meantime, Layla has a playmate.  Their new names should be Rough & Tumble, or Frick and Frack.  They get on like gangbusters.  We just try to stay out of the way of the dust cloud.  At the end of the day we have two tired pups.  And life is good.

Incoming and Outgoing

I love that when I suggest to Reno another foster he doesn't visibly flinch.  I said there were two pups needing foster homes and what did he think.  He thought one or the other but not both.  But if I wanted both he'd support me.  


I know Hank would want us to.  Layla will love it, and Mick is rolling his eyes.  OMG, here we go again.  Yes, here we go again.  Later this week we have a 7 month old pointer/setter pup named Bailey joining the pack until she finds her forever home.  That is the incoming news.


The outgoing - well it's just me getting on my little bitty soapbox for a while.  I'm feeling very old.  I am amazed, and still a bit appalled at the general usage of the "f" bomb. My Mom would be proud to hear me say this.   It comes "out" of so many peoples mouths on a regular basis.  Hell, I can remember when hell was a bad word.  Now the king of all bad words is used all the time.  Sigh, it is what it is.  I don't have to like it and I rarely use it.  It never feels right coming out of my mouth, but that is just me.  What will people use when that one is totally desensitized?  Beats the bejeebers out of me.

So there you have it.  The in's and out's of it. Good news, bad words.  Such is life.

Celebrations

We have celebrated July 4th in so many different ways. And, for the most part always took them for granted. You wake up, you cook, eat way too much, you shoot fireworks, clean up fireworks, go to bed exhausted. I used to worry about the kids getting hurt with fireworks. Now I worry about the dogs getting stressed by fireworks.

I'm to the age where all the noise of the fireworks is a wee bit irritating. Probably because it's the other people doing fireworks, and not us. Truthfully, we cut our teeth on fireworks. Part of my Dad's job included inspecting fireworks plants to make sure their product was safe for rail travel. You can bet they wanted their inspections to pass muster. So Dad always came home with a trunk full of fireworks. We had no idea how lucky we were.

This year, we are spending the 4th on an Air Force Base with Reno's daughter and son-in-law who is active military. Again, we have no idea how lucky we are. There will be city fireworks, but no personal fireworks. On base it will be quiet and peaceful. We'll still probably eat too much. But, and there is always a but, we will have a celebration of our independence. And, an immense gratitude for those who serve us.