Am…musings

S. and I have had a change of heart. Not about each other, but it does mean the end.

I really shouldn’t tease about such things, but I couldn’t resist! Our change of heart is about Ms. Paisley. And the end? Well, it’s the end of my Stray Rescue fostering career for now … I’m adopting Paisley.

As I said before, despite her penchant for Nikes, flip flops and ball caps, she’s really pretty well behaved for a puppy (Chewy decimated a few baseboards and some furniture at her age). And honestly, she’s been leaving our shoes and hats alone these days.

She’s still pretty skittish around strangers and some other dogs, but obedience classes should help with that. She also wakes up at 6 a.m. for breakfast and I’m no morning person, but I’m hoping that changes as she gets older.

Basically, it came down to the fact that even though she has some issues, she is the sweetest dog ever, and S. nor I can imagine giving her up at this point. Chewy probably couldn’t stand losing his buddy either …

Paisley and Chewy are nightmare pullers on the leash. With Chewy it’s annoying, but Ms. Paisley now weighs 50 pounds and is incredibly strong so her crazy pulling is downright hazardous. Plus, it seems the college girl isn’t going to adopt her so I need to whip her into shape on the leash for adoption events.

I shared my dilemma with a coworker who quickly recommended a harness they sell at her favorite pet store. The pet store is Pet Supplies “Plus” on Manchester in Ballwin. I was expecting a small boutique store with a limited selection, but it is just as big as any “big box” store … only with boutique service and a better selection, making it well worth the drive for me. There are lots of friendly employees willing to help and one quickly fit Paisley in the Premier Easy Walk Harness and then suggested I take her for a walk around the store and outside to see how she did. It was only a short trek, but the difference with the harness was miraculous … no pulling. And she didn’t seem super irritated with it like Chewy is with the one that goes over his mouth. I bought him one too.

I also found another great product. Chewy and Paisley can also go from zero to “kill” with plush toys in an instant. Pet Supplies “Plus” offers a line of Tuff Plush toys and I bought one for less than most toys at the “big box” places. They’ve been playing tug-of-war and destroy-the-squeaker with it for about an hour and despite being slobbery as hell, it’s still in great shape. I also like that the toys don’t have traditional stuffing so when they do kill it (I imagine the time will come), I won’t have a huge mess like normal.

P.S. If you know of anyone looking for a super sweet, really great dog, let me know!

I don’t normally have fosters for more than a month or two. Buster fit the bill … my neighbors adopted him about two months after I brought him and Paisley home from the vet in late January.

Paisley, on the other hand, is still living with me … six months later. I debated just keeping her … she’s is truly the sweetest dog, and although she has some issues (ball caps and shoes – both mine and S.’s are her weakness), I think she’s going to be a good dog once she gets past the “puppies.” But she’s bigger than I’d like and she sheds lots of reddish hair that can be found all over the black clothes I typically wear. She’s also a morning dog … not a good fit with this non-morning person.

In early May, I received an application from a girl that was just about to graduate college and start a new job. I was a little concerned that it might be a tough time to get new a dog, but the girl is incredibly sweet and understands the responsibility a dog requires. She currently doesn’t live in a place where she can have dogs, but that will change in the next month or so. She’s taken Paisley to her parents’ home for a few visits. We missed her, Chewy and I … oh, and S. too! His initial vote was for me to keep her … although after the hat and a pair of Nike Shocks, his tune changed.

Luckily, the girl and her family love Paisley, and I think she’s going to adopt her in the next few weeks. Please keep your fingers crossed with me!

It’s been about a month and a half since I last posted about Buster and Paisley. Here’s the scoop on my latest (and last) Stray Rescue fosters:

Bye-bye B. – My neighbors are adopting Buster. He’s been living with them for a week. It’s nice having him next door and I can’t say I miss him too much as it’s much easier to keep up with one at this age. And Paisley is much better behaved without him.

New names – The dog formerly known as Buster is now Duke. Paisley is still Paisley, but I’m a user of two names when someone does something bad (Chewy becomes Chewbacca Morris). I don’t want to call her Paisley Morris so she has a middle name now … Paisley Marie … and unfortunately, I seem to use it more often than I’d like.

Packing on the pounds – I used to be able to hold them both at the same time and now I struggle to hold either of them alone. They weight almost 25 pounds and Paisley legs have gotten super long. She’s about an inch and half or two inches taller than Chewy and much stockier than him. Also, I thought they were going to be small because their paws weren’t big when I got them. Not so much anymore … I’m guessing they’re going to be about 50 or 60 pounds when it’s all said and done.

But she’s still a lap dog – She still tries to get in my lap and I sometimes let her sit there while I’m at the kitchen table on the computer. In a few weeks, I’m guessing that won’t work, but I think she’ll still be a cuddle bug.

But she’s a little bipolar – Because they were rescued in an abandoned house and didn’t really have a lot of human interaction before being rescued, she’s a bit skittish (Duke is a bit too actually). She’s great with me and does pretty well with my neighbors and anyone who visits so I didn’t really realize the problem until I took her for a home visit with a couple interested in adopting her today. She kept her tail between her legs, barked at them and almost snapped at the guy … although I kind of don’t blame her … he was a bit aggressive with her even though she was clearly timid and scared.

My plan is to start taking her more places with me and introducing her to more people. I also think the right person or couple (probably no kids) who is willing to work with her will be rewarded with a good dog once she comes out of her shell a bit. Please pass the word along if you know someone who might fit the bill.

My Stray Rescue foster duties include sending a profile and pics of the pups for the Web site.

It was tough to photograph the puppies when I first brought them home. They were small, clinging to each other and constantly sleepy:

Three and a half weeks flew by fast, and last night, my wonderful retired neighbor that feeds and takes the pups out around noon every day gently asked if I’d gotten them on the Web site. Although Buster and Paisley were more than ready for their individual close-ups, and I had a good idea of their personalities for the profiles, I just hadn’t gotten around to doing it.

The guilt quickly set in … my neighbor is very kind (she has spent time with Chewy pretty much every day while I’m at work since he was a puppy), but the fosters require a more set schedule and are a lot of work. And speaking of Chewy … he’s the reason I started fostering puppies because he loves playing with other dogs. However, I fostered the first set of puppies when he wasn’t quite one year old. Now, at nearly three, he’s not having quite as much fun. These puppies are also a bit needier and seem to have bonded more with me than the others (Paisley is in my lap as I type)… and Chew is just a smidge jealous.

So I made a huge sacrifice last night , and instead of hand washing dishes (still no dishwasher … because I haven’t quite gotten around to that either), I wrote their profile and took their pics (which was a LOT like herding cats).

Here are their profiles: Paisley (aka Whitesnake) and Buster (aka Poison). (Some of their littermates … Kiss, Bon Jovi, Tesla, Twisted Sister, Guns N Roses … are also on the site.)

And here are a few pics that didn’t make it on the site:

P.S. They went for their second round of shots Monday and each weighed around 13 pounds!

Last week, I could easily carry both foster puppies from Stray Rescue at one time. They’ve grown so much in just a few days (especially Ms. Paisley, who isn’t so petite any more) that it’s becoming a bit of a struggle.

They are still cute as buttons though.

I did learn they came from a litter of 10 and were living in a run-down abandoned house in North County with their amazing mom … she kept 10 little ones safe and alive even in the horrid conditions and cold temps. They were able to rescue her with the pups and she’s available for adoption too. Here’s the story of their rescue (in the first row of pictures, momma’s on the left and one of their littermates is on the right).

The living on the street thing explains the slight skittishness they had at first, but that’s getting better everyday as they learn to trust and are being schooled on being a house dog by Chewy, who is enjoying them more as they get older (and less annoying … to him).

And even though Buster and Paisley won’t be going to college, they are pretty smart. They still have accidents, but mostly get that they need to potty outside even at less than 10 weeks old.

If you know anyone looking for a puppy, they are each available for adoption. And if you are able and interested, Stray Rescue can always use fosters. (Read the whole story in the link above and here for evidence of the amazing work they do … and to maybe shed a few tears for the ones that were lost.)

Did you know baby mourning dove can hatch then grow enough to be self-sufficient AND fly in a week and half? One of babes was born a day earlier than the other … it left Thursday … along with momma, leaving this poor guy by himself …

And when I came home Friday afternoon, the nest was empty.

Then today, the Stray Rescue foster kitty, Ollie … who I didn’t even have long enough to blog about … went to what I expect will be her forever home. I picked her up from the vet Tuesday. The adoption application came Thursday. I checked references Friday and went for the home visit today. The couple is awesome, and they have a nice home (I’m a sucker for big, white-railing front porches) about two minutes from D’s. As long as Ollie does ok with their cat Abby, we’re in business. She is a super sweetie and a cutie …

so I’ll miss her, but didn’t really have much of a chance to get attached in the few short days she was here.

Somehow Miss Tiger Lily, the Stray Rescue foster kitty, has gotten herself in a bit of a predicament. One minute she was fine. The next minute a quarter of her body was covered with a huge shipping/price tag sticker – I assume from the bottom of my new living room furniture (the digital camera is dead so this is the best pic I can get with the iPhone … but at least you can sort of see my fantastic new furniture too!).

The enormous sticky thing on her side has her a little freaked so I’m having trouble getting close enough to try to help. It’s only worked once and it’s so stuck to her I pulled out quite a bit of fur on one little corner. I feel awful because it reminded me of the waxing strips when I have my brows done, and I know that hurts.

If she were a dog, I’d just grab her, but cats are squirmier and stealthier. Plus, she has her claws and I’m afraid of puncture wounds given the pain I imagine I’ll be inflicting. I guess I’ll let her calm down a bit and try again. Although, Chewy’s been trying to help by licking and pulling at it and she’s letting him. I’m hoping it works … regardless, it’s the cutest, sweetest thing to watch.

It’s nearly the one year anniversary of my first Stray Rescue fosters. The number one question I hear is whether it’s hard to let them go. I’ve always been able to say “yes, but really no” before. Yes, because they become a part of your life and it’s always a little sad. No, because before Tiger Lilly, I’ve always fostered puppies and they are A LOT of work and hassle … crying at night at first, making messes in the house (when they are super young they are so silly and excited that they often step in it requiring baths), digging in the mud (also requiring baths), needing to go out rather frequently.

Not so with the kitty. She’s quiet unless her food bowl is empty or she wants a little attention. She uses a litter box so no messes in the house, mud or running home to let her out. And she’s as sweet as can be. I forgot how cool purring is … it makes me smile. Of course, a dog is always happy to have attention, but with a kitty, it seems like you earn their appreciation and are rewarded with the sound of a running motor.

Yeah, I’m thinking it might be harder to give this one up.

My newest Stray Rescue foster, Tiger Lily, was still under the futon when I woke up this morning, but started purring the minute I got on the floor and lifted the cover. With a little coaxing she came out for some petting, more rolling on her back and even some cuddling.

After work, I took Chewy for another play date and lured her out with the feather toy. She’s jumpy, scrambling toward the office any time I move, but she usually stops short of going under the futon and slowly ventures back out. She even lets me hold her and jumps up on my lap, snuggling up and purring all the while. Poor thing … I think she’s starved for interaction, but is just scared … she was in a kennel at the vet for most of her life.

And here she is …

PS I’m still toying with nicknames. In her comment on yesterday’s post Deborah used T-Lily. It sounds a little rapper-esque, which is fun, but I don’t think it fits the little miss (I’m not sure what she weighs, but if it’s five or six pounds I’d be surprised).