Update on Baxter

Thankfully I am here with good news about Baxter’s recovery. He is home and healing up in the comfort of his own family!  He was released from the hospital Tuesday evening, and his family was up all night keeping him comfortable and giving him meds. As you could have probably guessed, he has been subjected to the cone of shame.

I actually got the chance to go visit him yesterday! His hero Big Bruno was babysitting ‘the kids’ all day, so I stopped by during my lunch. Baxter was in great spirits and greeted me at the door with the rest of the welcoming committee. They are a silly bunch, those three.

He’s got a bunch of energy, which is good – but it means they have to be extra careful about keeping his activity level low. The silly guy barely acts like he almost died!

His parents are being so wonderful and taking such great care of him.  I am thankful that he found them as his final place to land.  Baxter has a long road of recovery ahead of him – right now he can only eat every few hours and is still on lots of medication – but he is in the best hands possible. I will surely keep you updated on him!

Celebrating Friday

Joanie shows us what partyin’ hard for the weekend looks like:

And she shows us what Saturday morning looks like after too much partyin’:

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Don’t do anything Joanie wouldn’t do!

For more information about adopting Joanie, email peacelovefoster@gmail.com or fill out an application on the Jasmine’s House website.

Bye Bye Joanie!

Yesterday we said goodbye to Joanie as she returned back to her other foster home. What a week it’s been! It was such a roller coaster of emotions: the first two days were crazy as everyone adjusted to a new situation, then we spent time coexisting, then I fell trulymadlydeeply in love, then I experienced feelings of both relief and “Wait! Don’t go!” as we prepared to send her back home.

The good news for you all is that Joanie’s foster mom also has a blog! You can keep up with Joanie’s journey at Waiting Between Trains. Thank goodness for that, right!? Heather’s got big plans for Joanie – including trips into town, CGC class, and an awesome Halloween costume – and I’m sure we’ll get to hear all about it.

Thanks for an awesome week, J!  We’ll miss ya like crazy!

Now someone please scoop up this amazing dog!

For more information about adopting Joanie, email me at peacelovefoster@gmail.com or fill out an application on the Jasmine’s House website.

Week With Joanie in Review

Joanie has settled a LOT in the short week we’ve had her, and now it’s like she fits right in. It didn’t start off so easy – in fact it was kind of rocky, but we’ve both adjusted accordingly and have found a really great place. Joanie now just hangs out at home with my Dad all day while he works and she sleeps. When I get home from work we play and go for a nice long walk, then have a relaxing evening on the couch.  She’s showing her true self: the perfect house dog!

We’ve crammed a lot of fun into this week. After learning that exercise was the key to success, Joanie and I enjoyed many long walks together – both in the early mornings and in the evenings.  Yesterday morning we ventured out into the woods for the first time. Joanie, as you can imagine, loved all the sniffs – although she wasn’t too pleased about the extra obstacles.

When we go out at night I am always sure to deck her out in her safety vest, especially since she is a dark colored dog. Night time walks are always our most relaxing and enjoyable because there is no pressure to get home in time for work. . . again, lots of opportunities for sniff breaks!

Joanie totally won over my parents who are thrilled to have such a sweet dog in the house again. Bax and Otis were cordial and friendly, but it hasn’t really been since Zabora that we had a dog who ran to greet them at the door with an overly-wiggly butt. Joanie’s got an awesome tail wag, which she promptly turns around and sticks in your face for a good scratch. Looks pretty much like this:

Joanie never ceases to stop making us smile. Especially when she gets her bursts of energy and wants to play. She will barge into our liriope bushes and pounce around like she is deathing a bunch of jumping beans. Cutest. Thing. Ever.  She also enjoys bouncing around the living room while playing with her favorite monkey toy.  Today, the monkey finally met his demise. . .

Last but not least, Joanie continually surprises us with her uncanny ability to resemble a pig. Not only does she look like one, she sounds almost identical to one.  Here is a video of some serious piggy snorting. Listen closely: pig or Joanie?

I know I keep gushing about this dog, but I just can’t help it. She’s so happy-go-lucky and up for anything. We get to enjoy the weekend together, then she is back to her long term foster.  I don’t want to think about her leaving just yet, so you better believe we’ll find some serious trouble fun to get into this weekend!

If you’re interested in learning more about adopting Joanie, email me at peacelovefoster@gmail.com.

Who you calling ‘Less Adoptable’!?

Petfinder runs a promotion in September called “Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet-Week.” They highlight pets who have factors that make them seem less adoptable for whatever reason: they have a disability, they’re old, they’re different, etc. According to Petfinder, Joanie should have the odds stacked against her because she is black, a pit bull dog, and a little older. The funny thing about it is that I think Joanie’s one of the most adoptable dogs I’ve ever fostered! I appreciate Petfinder’s efforts here, but labeling Joanie as “less adoptable” gives off the impression that she’s got something wrong with her, and that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Joanie would like everyone to know that her black fur might be dark and have some scars, but it’s soft and it loves a good scratch just like any other color. Joanie would also like everyone to know that her older age (only about five) gives her maturity, grace and wisdom that her puppy friends don’t have. Furthermore, Joanie would like to tell everyone that the fact that she’s got short, stubby appendages, some muscles hidden under all those curves, a big, blocky head, and cropped ears does NOT mean she is different from other dogs for any reason other than her own individual personality. She would appreciate it if you judged her by what you know about her, rather than what her looks might lead you to believe. And what you know about her (after reading this blog, at least) is that she is as sweet as honey and a total love bug!

So nobody around here is “less adoptable” than anyone else. Unique? Sure. Special? Definitely. Different? You bet. But if you ask me, those traits mixed with her stellar personality are all reasons why Joanie is SUPER adoptable.

“I am Joanie – a black, middle-aged, “pit bull” dog – and I am super adoptable.”

For more info on adopting Joanie, email me at peacelovefoster@gmail.com or fill out an application on the Jasmine’s House website.

House Guest for the Week: Guess Who?

We’ve got a visitor, but she’s only here for a week. Some of you may recognize her from Facebook. She has quite the story behind her – anybody got a clue who she is?

Come back tomorrow to learn more about this sweet face!

Baxter Quirks — Happy Friday

Ending the week on a goofy note with some Baxterisms. On any given day you can find Baxter doing any combination of these random actions.

Curling into the tiniest ball possible.

Choosing to avoid using the bed in a traditional manner.

Being a lazy squishy face.

And stretching like a drama queen.

Happy Friday, blog friends.

For more information on adopting Comeback Kid Baxter, click here or email peacelovefoster@gmail.com.

Snuggler in Training

Growing up, my Wheaten Terrier Barley was a pretty independent dog. Even with my mom, who he absolutely adored, he liked to have his space and do his own thing. He would sleep on the bed – when you weren’t on it. He would tolerate affection for a brief moment, until he realized what was going on and would dart away. He would be excited to see you when you got home, but got over it pretty fast. But that’s just how Barley was, and we loved him all the same.

So when Baxter came to our house, settled in, and decided he appreciated his space, I didn’t mind. It became clear after being with us for a few weeks that Baxter isn’t exactly Mr. Snuggle. He will lean into you for a good scratch for hours, but if you go to embrace, he scoots away.

You can tell that something about tight spaces makes him uncomfortable. Being constrained by a human (so the action of hugging – along with holding for shots and vet care) freaks him out.  Who knows if it is because of something that happened in his past, or the fact that he started his life with humans over half way through his existence – but Baxter does not seem to know that human closeness is a good thing.

For the sake of his own mental comfort, and a little bit for my own selfish want to snuggle, I have been trying to show Baxter that being close to people can be good. Every time I go to embrace him, I give him treats. When in doubt: counter condition! (A little trick I learned from my go-to doggy brainiac). He has come a long way already. He still won’t exactly seek out affection, but he certainly tolerates it a whole lot better. Exhibit A:

Whether Baxter warms up to snuggling, or this is just the way he is – it really doesn’t matter. Baxter shows his love for you in a lot of different ways. He runs to greet you at the door, and will do excited zoomies in your honor. He will kiss your face with big smacking kisses as much as you let him. He will sleep at your feet, by your bed, beside you on the couch, for as long as you are there. He will lay with you on the ground, accepting a belly rub or full body scratch. He will work his hardest to please you during training sessions. He will wag enthusiastically when he joins you on a new adventure. He will look to you for affirmation when you are in a new place. He will be steadfast and loyal in his love for you for as long as he lives, and what more can we ask for?

I feel that because my relationship with Baxter hasn’t been built through a physical connection, it’s actually that much stronger. Do I wish sometimes on rainy days that he’d curl up on the couch with me? Sure. But I have fallen so hard for so many other things about him that I don’t even seem to notice anymore. He is an incredible dog that has so much to offer, and I know his forever family will see that and love him just as much as I do.

For more information on adopting Comeback Kid Baxter, click here or email peacelovefoster@gmail.com.

The Many Faces of Bax

Baxter’s expressions say a lot about him.

There is the sweet face that melts your heart.

Then the sad face.

The goofy face (one of my faves).

The serious face.

And the happy-to-see-you face, which – since it is Wednesday morning- is one I got to experience this morning when I picked Baxter up from boarding!!!

I love all of Baxter’s looks. His forever home is going to have a great time learning about all these and more. Experiencing a dog’s full personality is one of the most rewarding things I can think of! Don’t you want to get to know Mr. Bax, and all of his faces?

For more information on adopting Comeback Kid Baxter, click here or email peacelovefoster@gmail.com.

Baxter at Sniffers Update

Baxter’s hero Big Bruno visited Baxter over the weekend during his stay at doggy day care. I was beyond thrilled to get an update — and a super positive one at that! Bruno said Baxter is doing great, and I’m sure this visit helped Baxter feel even more comfortable in this new, unfamiliar place.

First, he texted me this. I was happy just to see a picture of mister Bax! Look at that waggy tail : -)

Then Bruno emailed me over this video, which I can’t stop watching!

Seeing my boy so happy puts me at ease while I’m twelve hours away and unable to take care of him myself. I’m so thankful for people like Big Bruno who look out for him while I’m gone. Still, I can’t wait to go pick him up in a few days!

For more information on adopting Comeback Kid Baxter, click here or email peacelovefoster@gmail.com.