The pups did really well with their neuters – BUT they sure hated being locked up!! I got a phone call at noon to please come and pick them up – they wanted to go home! As soon as Dave stoppled the TG Bus and opened the door a stream of pups rushed out down the driveway up the steps and into the door! – Good puppies! They ran to the water dish, had a good long drink then a bite to eat and a nap clustered around my feet at my desk. So…. new puppy parents please be forewarned – theses are very people social puppies, always underfoot and full of mischief. On the plus side they are housebroken – or at least know where the doggie door is to go outside – no more messes indoors. They are also 19 pounds – so gained a pound in a week. Our vets thought they were very nice pups, healthy but they sure don’t like confinement. I wish all puppies were as as much fun as these guys!!
One little pup went home early this morning – the fluffy black and tan with the red collar – not Buca!! His family was so excited to bring them home they couldn’t wait – Christmas in July! He was happy to go home too. Good luck little one and be good!
Updates – first Riika aka Generic our striking karelian bear dog mix!!
Hi Yvette and all the wonderful TG folks!
We just thought you’d like to hear about our wonderful Riika (Generic, Genny)…now that it is almost four months since we adopted her.
Look at her! She is beautiful, isn’t she? And what a delight she has been. Yes, naughty sometimes…but so full of energy and life that we cannot always keep up with her! Everywhere we go people just stop and admire her. She is the most popular girl at doggie day care (where she goes to burn off energy sometimes).
She goes to doggie obedience classes, and will be taking some agility lessons soon.
We are so sorry we cannot come to the reunion because we have a wedding to attend. But maybe you can show her picture around to folks and tell them that we are so, so happy to have her and so glad Turtle Gardens found her for us.
We talk about you all often – and think of you every time we snuggle and love our darling little Ri-Ri. Write back if you have time, we would love to know how you are doing.
Melanie and Jim Ito
And a TG Alumni would like our advice:
Dear Yvette,
We recently went on a small 5 day vacation and left Beckett with a doggy
daycare that he usually goes to a couple times a month. He has never had
any sort of seperation anxiety before -unless left for more than 5 hours,
which we never do.
The first two days back he was alright, but for the past week or so he’s
had rather bad seperation anxiety (or that’s what I think it is). He
freaks out when he thinks we’re leaving the house. We’ve tried to
desenstize him to the things that usually happen when we leave, but since
we both leave at the same time (I’m only gone for three hours), its always
the same.
We’ve tried extra long walks (he gets at least 2 1/2 hours a day and for
the last while its been close to 4). He gets to play with other dogs at
least once every second day at the offleash beach. He’s eating less and
less, trembling, panting really loudly. He hasn’t destroyed anything,
doesn’t bark (that we know of), but I was wondering if you had any ideas
that could maybe help us out. We’ve scheduled an appointment for Saturday
with the vet, who met him for a few minutes and thought it was seperation
anxiety.
We’re definitely willing to try to sort this thing out, but I thought
you’d be a great wealth of information.
Also: right when I get home he’s fine and as he usually is -sleepy,
cuddly, very quiet. After a week and some its kind of messing up my
schedule as well, and I know he’s unhappy, and he’s starting to annoy us
as well.
Not quite sure what do to. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Emily
You can definitely put it up. Any help/ideas would be appreciated.
Best,
Emily + Beckett
I want to thank everyone who have been voting – We are up again – your tremendous support is overwhelming and appreciated – we are #3 in Canada and #2 in BC – How cool is that!!
Remember to VOTE everyday!! Please Vote everyday – Shelter Challenge ($20,000 Grant!!) Turtle Gardens Spay Neuter Society – Vancouver BC We are now #3 in Canada and #2 in BC!! Please vote!!!!!
©Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue Society. Have your pet spayed or neutered today.
Dear Emily
I have tried rescue remedy (at health food stores- 2 drops?)It is made of 5 different flowers,so all natural.Tried it on my 2 cats and dog. Seems to work well.Hope this helps. Marilyn & Kingston
July 15th, 2009 | #
Perhaps Emily can try the Bach Flower remedy called FEAR that one of your other adopters posted about on July 9..It seems she has had success with this for her Sherrif dog..
Just a thought.
July 15th, 2009 | #
re; beckett
totally ignore whatever he is doing before you leave and the same if he starts acting weird when you get back…do not even see it…pretend it is not happening…walk right thru it like it does not exist..like whatever he is doing is completely invisible. do not react on the outside or on the inside either cuz he can read the insode of you really well. right now he is testing out the freaking out thing to see if you notice, if it gets him something..like any kind of attention or recognition. be a pillow…let it bounce right off of you like a puff of air.
focus on it or him and it becomes a habit and then a vicious circle…he gets upset, you get upset…then you both feed off of each other.
when he is acting like a normal, well grounded dog..give him lots of attention. talk to him, tell him he is such a very good dog….he is your very perfect boy.
visualize in your head the dog you want and see beckett’s face on the perfect dogs body..praise him when he is close to there..totally ignore him and whatever he is doing when he is not.
dogs WANT to fit in, they WANT you to see them and connect with them..it is in their nature…you give them acceptence and positive reinforcement and that connection when they follow the pack expectations of behavior and you don’t see them at all when they don’t.
dogs are smart…if whatever they are doing is not working, then they try something else…really encourage the good stuff they try and discourage the not so good by completely ignoring it. if it doesn’t work for them, they will stop.
July 15th, 2009 | #
May I suggest to start watching “The Dog Whisperer” on The National Geography channel or read his(Cesar Milan) books. I have watched for a long time and have learned some much. It may have somewhat, to do with your energy. You feel agitated (probably) before you go out, knowing there will be a problem with the dog. Cesar Milan’s teaching are of a calm and assertive energy from you, you should get a calm/submissive from your dog. I’m terribly sorry, I can’t really explain, but it works, you need to really watch him and you will start to understand. He does say some cases are helped by medication, but you can try out his methods before going there. You will need to to calm/assertive showing you pet that you are the pack leader (the person in charge), a dog hates to be unbalanced and looks to a leader to show him his place in the pack. It can be fixed, but I can’t stress enough to watch this man, read his books or better yet, get him on dvd. It is much easier to understand as you watch him and listen to him, it will give you an incrediable dog and it changes you and how you present (hold) yourself!
I hope this will help you, I know it will, Carol
July 15th, 2009 | #
P.S It really isn’t hard at all! Good luck, Carol
July 15th, 2009 | #
Yvette, I wonder if the remedy that worked for the sheriff dog Serena (Sheila) as copied below would work for Beckett? You’ve already thought of this I’m sure but it was of such interest to me it stuck in my mind. I’m going to try to get my hands on some locally and if I can’t may come back to your blog to see if I can get more details on the exact makeup of it.
Thanks Yvette and I’m voting every day.
j
“As a note, what I found worked for her anxiety while I went to work was a Bach flower remedy called FEAR. It is a mixture of three remedies that help with extreme anxiety, panic attacks and high startle response. I put three drops in her water every day and gave her two drops on a cookie when I left for work. This product was able to bring down her anxiety to a level that she started to think again and was able to deal with things.
I am also working with some essential oils to help her deal with past issues. It seems to be helping.”
July 16th, 2009 | #