Feeling GOOD

Leroy is making leaps and bounds in his health and it has only been a matter of days.  I think this boy is going to be ready for his forever home soon.  I hope the veterinarians agree at his next check up.

Let's run down some of his improvements:

• His skin has turn from lobster pink to a pale blush but mostly a muted grey
• He has noticeable been itching less
• He has gained some weight although still not enough
• His energy level has skyrocketed
• He is on one less medication!

I am excited that Leroy is doing better.  However, he has become a little more challenging to work with mostly due to his high energy level and his strength.  Leroy is a big dog!  It is hard to see that since he is so skinny but there is a big dog in there.  He is incredibly strong and with the nose of a hound he goes where the nose goes.  Thankfully, I have experience working with a big dog, but it should be something his forever mom and/or dad should consider.  

Nothing about any dog is good or bad per say.  It is a matter of evaluating your needs and skills with the needs and care necessary for the dog in question.  Remember to consider what kind of time you have for grooming, training and snuggling.  Depending on the dog, their needs in these categories will vary with some dogs needing more than others.  Most "problems" are really just opportunities for training which takes time and patience. 

I am so glad the weather is finally looking sunny these days.  I could tell the dogs were getting cabin fever.  They have been lucky enough to hang outside for most the days these past couple of days.  I know they have enjoyed their time although they might have enjoyed their time a little too much!  Some  fence posts have been knocked over mostly because they were old but they had a little help from the dogs.  I don't think our neighbor was none to happy although he never explicitly shared his displeasure.  I am a little worried he is also upset with all the dogs barking.  They have been barking at the squirrels  but clearly this can be a problem.  I am hoping to chat with my neighbor about the situation to make sure we keep the line of communication open.  We love our neighbors and want to respect our shared space.  Fingers crossed we don't have to return Leroy early.  

I also want to remind everyone how awesome it would be to find Leroy's forever home!  If you or someone you know would love to be Leroy's forever home please speak now!  Email me or contact Canyon County Shelter.  I am sure we can work something out so you can take Leroy sooner rather than later and you can be instrumental in his recovery.

Anyone have any tips or tried and true methods to help reduce barking?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Its the love day! What better day to talk about forever love?

Leroy needs a forever home. Is there anyone out there that already knows they are going to be his forever home? Did someone have the same intense need to be with Leroy like I did, except is your need a forever kind of thing? If so let your voice be heard! Tell Canyon County that you want to foster Leroy and then adpot him when they give the ok.

By no means am I trying to ditch Leroy only days after I have had him. What I do know is this journey is going to change him and whoever cares for him (right now that is me). I just don't want to stand in the way of him getting his forever home. I can pass the torch! 

Since it was the love day I had to bring up the possibility that Leroy's Valentine is already waiting for him! Do not doubt that Leroy will have my love until the day I hand him back to the shelter or his forever home. I have enough to go around! 

Happy Love day! Don't forget to hug your dog or cat! 

First Day

Well we have officially spent a full 24 hours with Leroy.  We made it through with no major catastrophes and just two potty accidents (and one of those was one tile!)!

If it is possible, I think Leroy has worn out my Australian Cattle dog (actually both of my dogs are ACD's).  Whiskey is our youngest at just a little over one (and was adopted from Canyon Country shelter just a mere 6 months ago). If you don't know much about ACD's they have what I thought was unlimited amounts of energy.  Some say they are one step down in energy level from Border Collies, but I am not sure I agree.  I think they equal a Border Collie (and I should know since I had a Border Collie).  However, apparently Coonhounds have a ton of energy to burn too!  Leroy and Whiskey chased each other all day!  It was a race around the couch and dining table or outside in the backyard. I don't think anyone actually won. Regardless, it was very entertaining to watch.  Whiskey has some pretty quick and intense moves while Leroy is just all brute strength and legs.

Today was our first walk around the neighborhood.  I decided to only take Leroy since I wanted to focus all on my attention on him.  This certainly didn't win me any favors with Sydney and Whiskey.  I am sure I can win them back with raw hides and treats.  Let's just say Leroy needs some major leash work!  I think my shoulder will recover from all the pulling!!  I had a hound dog so I know they are nose to the ground kind of dogs.  I can respect that focus.  However, they need to respect the leash too. I give a little and they need to give a little.  Leroy hasn't gotten that memo.  Not to worry.  We will work on it.  I think he enjoyed getting out and I am hoping the weather holds so we can make this a daily activity.  He is only walking a little less than a mile and I don't want to do much more.  He needs to heal and gain weight and you can't achieve those goals doing power walks through the neighborhood.  As he gains weight, the weather gets warmer and his leash work improves, I hope we can make it longer.

Another big training area is getting him to know his name!  He basically lives by the beat of his own drum and unless you shout or rattle the dog food bowl, he stays in his own world.  I don't blame him and from what we know he was found "on the side of the road."  I assume he hasn't had any kind of normal up bringing.  Sigh.  So we must work on name recognition, the word "no", "off" and "potty".  Once we get those settled we can start on something more fancy like "sit." I will say it is sobering to work with a dog that is not from the herding group.  I have been spoiled working with dogs who learn to sit or shake or what have you in just a day.  By no means am I insulting the intelligence of hound dogs.  They just work differently and I think are equally as smart, they just need a different approach.  It has also only been 24 hours!  I think we are also still in the getting to know you phase!

In other news…we bathed him for the first time here.  He had some baths at the shelter but as part of his healing process they are asking for baths on a frequent basis. He wasn't too thrilled being placed in the bath tub but once there he relaxed and accepted his fate.  He smells a lot better and he seemed happier afterwards.  What dog isn't happy after a bath?

Ain't Nothin' but a Hound dog

I have a coonhound in my living room chasing one of my dogs.  How the heck did I get here?  My husband would probably say it was due to a streak of insanity.  He is probably right.

It all started yesterday evening as I was madly working on graduate homework.  I was procrastinating on Facebook when a post popped up from Canyon County Shelter.  There was a picture of a sad looking hound and a post urgently requesting a foster family.  Leroy was suffering from a severe skin allergy believed to be caused by food.  They were requesting a foster family for 4-6 weeks. I really don't know what came over me but within a minute of reading the post I felt this deep need to be his foster family.  Where did that come from?  I still can't tell you.  I love dogs.  Maybe that is enough said?  

I jumped into action by posting on Facebook my desire to foster him.  Then I decided to call the shelter at almost 10 pm to leave a message just to be sure I would be at the top of the list.  Of course, for good measure and because I was avoiding my homework, I decided to email them a completed foster application.  In the middle of that homework avoidance-dog obsessing, I remembered to call up my dear husband to tell him what I was doing.  I didn't really ask.  I basically told him what I was doing.  He knows me very well and said he wasn't surprised.  I have to say I married the right guy!

First thing this morning I was on the phone with the shelter.  Let's just say with some back and forth and a trip to Caldwell with my two hyper dogs and 2 year old son, we were the lucky ones to bring Leroy home. Hurray!

Leroy appears to be an awesome dog.  He is sadly in very bad shape physically.  His skin allergy is the worst I have ever seen.  His fur is very patchy and what fur he does have is straggly and coarse.  His skin is red and almost scaly.  He has soars in various places from itching too much.  When you pet him, he feels almost oily yet he looks too dry.  He smells bad but its a bearable dirty dog smell.  His eyes are kind and he has a strong frame with very big feet.  He is skin and bones and I would say is probably 10 lbs, maybe 20 lbs under weight.

This is going to be a journey.  I decided that some journeys are worth sharing and what better way than through a blog (even if its short term).  I also think Leroy could use all the prayers, good karma and kind thoughts that everyone can muster.

I hope to update everyone on Leroy's progress as often as I can and as milestones happen.  Stay tuned!