Make a Difference - Foster an Animal in Need....by Lisa of OBXPuparazzi

Fostering an animal is a fantastic way to help special needs animals find their forever home.  The process of fostering, which is usually done through a shelter or rescue organization, buys time for an adoptable animal that needs a little help becoming a better companion.  Some dogs also need to be away from the stress of living with so many other animals at a shelter, and they are happier and more ready to meet their forever family outside of the hectic shelter environment.

I have fostered several animals over the years and have enjoyed having them in my home.  I tend to work with special needs animals as we seem to have a good environment to assist them.  In addition to our foster dogs, we have a very stable pack of our own dogs, which helps in working with dogs that are not used to people or have been mistreated by and fear people.

At one time, including fosters, we had nine dogs in the house - all lab mixes of some variety!  My current pack consists of four dogs. Scamp is a white Labrador mix rescued at age 3 weeks with a broken leg. Five weeks later, we adopted her sister, Corky, a black lab mix who was in danger of being abandoned Dusty is my handsome red merle lab/Aussie mix adopted from my son - the Army told him he could only take one of his dogs to his new duty station!  Finally, there is Occy, a lab/Husky mix who is all white, whose owner had health problems and could no longer keep her and her sister. Occy’s sister Xena passed away unexpectedly this summer.

Scamp is the “momma dog” who takes fosters under her wing and teaches them the rules of the house.  She will show them how to use the dog door and how to sit for a treat!  The other dogs let them see that behaving earns rewards, that they can trust people to be gentle, and how to play with toys.

Some of our foster dogs have needed some work on basic skills like asking to go outside when they need to go do business, others have needed to learn the basics of living indoors with people, and a couple have come from abusive homes, and have needed extra time to learn how to trust people again.

Missy

Missy was a memorable foster who had been abused.  A kind-hearted person rescued her from the situation, but couldn’t keep her.  Over the course of 6 weeks, she blossomed into a very playful girl.  She found her forever family on the Outer Banks, where she lives with an active young couple and another dog to play with on the beach.

Mercy

Mercy was a pit bull/Boston terrier mix who was thought to have been used as a bait dog for dog fighting.  Once she settled in, her personality blossomed into a character with a sly sense of humor.  If you told her to sit, she would - on the sofa!  She liked to be busy, and she found a forever home to live out the remainder of her days with a family with a young son.  True to her pit bull roots, she was a self-appointed “nanny dog” to the child and was happiest following him around, cleaning up the Cheerios he dropped.  Sadly, she died 6 months later from complications from the treatment for heartworms.

If you would like to make a difference in an animal’s life, fostering is a way to make a big difference. If you have room in your home and heart to help, the best way to start is checking with your local shelter or rescue groups.

Submitted by Lisa of OBXPuparazzi, her online studio full of wonderful products she has made especially for dogs and the people who are crazy for them! Lisa is also an active volunteer with the Crafting for Animals Guild on ArtFire.

Australian Shepherds - The Right Dog for You?....by Rosamond of RJM Creations

This is the best article I have ever read on Australian Shepherds, my dogs of choice and the last 4 of my rescues. I have asked permission to reprint this article because of the great information:

Photo courtesy of www.dogbreedinfo.com

Is an Australian Shepherd the Right Dog for You? By Liz Palika Copyright 2000. Not to be reproduced without permission from the author.

Aussies are my breed of choice; I've had them for over twenty years now. However, I am the first to admit Australian Shepherds are NOT the right breed for everyone. In fact, when I talk (or email) to people about Aussies I try to talk more people out of buying an Aussie than I try to convince to get one. Why? Well, let's look at the breed.

First of all, Aussies have a very strong drive to work. As all around, versatile ranch dogs, they need to do something. Aussies were not designed or bred to be pets and as pets, with no job to do, they get into trouble. An Aussie with no sheep to herd, ducks to drive or cattle to round up will herd the kids instead. All Aussies need a job to do; maybe three or four jobs! He needs to bring in the morning newspaper, keep the kids out of the street, learn his obedience and agility training, and do therapy dog work. If you can't provide your Aussie with a sense of purpose, don't get an Aussie!

All dogs bred to work and control stock, Aussies can have a very high opinion of themselves and many have a more dominant, somewhat pushy personality. This trait, when combined with the breed's natural intelligence, makes it easy for Aussies to try to assume leadership of the family pack; a recipe for disaster. The owner of an Aussie must be assertive enough to make sure this doesn't happen. If you have a very soft personality, hate being assertive, are very soft spoken and want a dog who will naturally give in to you without any stress, then don't get an Aussie.

All Aussies need training. Not only does obedience training give your Aussie something to do and think about, it also teaches him self-control. Training also teaches him to accept discipline from you and that you are in charge. If you will not take the time to train your dog - not just for a five to six week class but for several years as he grows from puppyhood through adolescence and into adulthood - then do not get an Aussie.

What kind of training technique should you use? Well, the all-positive training techniques are very popular right now but aren't always the best for Aussies. Although all positive training (using no corrections) is wonderful in concept; many Aussies will take advantage of this type of training. In their world, a dog that gives no corrections is considered weak and at the bottom of the pack. The leader must be able to stand up for himself and give needed corrections. Since you must be your Aussie's leader, you must be able to give fair but firm, humane, and ethical yet effective corrections when needed.

As working herding dogs, Aussies need exercise. A walk is not exercise. A good, vigorous game of Frisbee is exercise, as is a run along side the bicycle. Aussies need exercise every single day without fail. A dog with too much energy and no outlet for it will get into trouble. If you are an active person who likes to walk, hike, jog and do other outdoor activities, then an Aussie might be great for you. If you're a couch potato, don't get an Aussie.

Aussies need to be with their people. An Aussie is not a backyard dog. Aussies want to be with you as much as possible and would prefer to crawl under your skin! If you don't want a real companion dog, don't get an Aussie. If you want a dog who will stay in the backyard all (or most) of the time, don't get an Aussie.

Aussies need socialization. As protective herding dogs who can be (and should be) reserved with strangers, Aussies need a lot of socialization during puppyhood. If you are very busy and can't take the time to get your puppy to different places and to meet different people while he's a puppy, then do not get an Aussie. An Aussie who isn't properly socialized can easily develop behavior problems, including fearfulness towards strangers, fear-biting, overly aggressive behavior and a host of other problems.

Personally, I enjoy the challenges of raising an Aussie. I like taking my puppy places. I enjoy dog training and love to keep their minds challenged and stimulated. In fact, right now Riker is learning his A, B and C's. He can recognize and touch the appropriate block when I tell him, "Riker, touch A" or B or C. He loves this game, too, because he's thinking and learning. Since I also have a dominant personality, I don't have to worry too much about my Aussies pushing me too far although they all try during adolescence. I don't even mind the fact that I have to vacuum the house daily because Aussies shed - and shed a lot! I like the breed's appearance, intelligence, wonderful personality and tremendous sense of fun.

If you are reading this web site because you're researching breeds, or are thinking about getting an Aussie, please think carefully about this awesome breed before you buy one. Aussie rescue programs are overloaded right now with dogs bought by people who didn't know enough about the breed. They fell in love with the dog's appearance, or intelligence, or another trait without seeing the whole picture. Then, once they had the dog, they realized that perhaps (for whatever reason) Aussies weren't the right dog for them.

To prevent that heartache, please think carefully about the realities of Aussie ownership before you bring home an Australian Shepherd.

----Submitted for reprint with permission by Rosamond of RJM Creations on ArtFire where you will find many wonderful handmade products showing Rosamond’s love of sewing and a healthy lifestyle. Be sure to check out her studio and contact her with any questions. Rosamond is a member of the Crafting for Animals Guild which is celebrating National Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog month by raising funds for the Close to Home Animal Rescue group which you can read about HERE or click on the box below.

You’re Never Too Old......................By Kathryn A. Gainard

Ahhh, the sweet smell of puppy breath. The awkward pitter-patter of oversized tootsies on the floor—paws still a little too big to fit the body. The huge, innocent eyes looking up to you amidst a lake of happy accidents and drenched newspaper. The tenacious destruction of every cute pair of shoes in the house. The relentless, mournful whimpering during crate training that seems to pass from hour to ungodly hour. Ahhh, yes. Puppies. Not to say that the joys of puppy-dom aren’t immense. If you could bottle up the cuteness and sell it you’d be a millionaire. But why the fascination with baby animals? Especially at shelters and rescues. Dogs older than two years have an incredibly difficult time finding homes… and sadly, it gets harder with every year. But why?

 (From  http://www.office.microsoft.com/)

When you consider the day-to-day rush people go through between work and family and school and yada yada, it’s a wonder more older dogs aren’t adopted first. With an older pup, and I’m only talking two years old and up here, they’re more mellow. They’ve come into their own and have their personality figured out. Shelters will know if the dog likes children or other pets. If it’s a lap baby or an at-your-feet napper. These are lovely things to know for someone who wants to jump right into the loving, and bypass the puppy nuttiness.

Another big bonus is that nearly 100 percent of the older dogs are house trained. Ready to be left alone in your house… trusted with your new carpet and couch. A nice trait for someone who has a lack of patience or time to be able to properly train a wiggly-butt puppy.

They’ve sewn their wild oats and are ready for laid back lovin’…many of them have already had owners and have excellent manners. Some know tricks, if you’re into the Rin Tin Tin thing, and many are already crate and leash trained. Just add love and you’re set.

The simple fact of the matter is that we have pets for companionship and friendship. A loving face to start that day with. A friendly embrace to greet us home. A couch buddy to snuggle with. An unconditional friend that will always be there, ‘til the end. And because of this, I wonder how age makes a difference. I’ve never seen a dog in a shelter, of any age, that’s not hopefully searching for that glimmer of recognition on the face of the adopters. For the chance that they may have found a home of their own. The chance to know a warm bed and kind hand. The chance to give their heart and dedication to their human.

And I know that there isn’t an age that exists in any species where love isn’t something we’re all striving to give and receive.

Submitted by Kate of A Dying Art Co. on ArtFire where you can find many of her creative projects for people and pets, as well as her website: ADyingArtCompanyLtd.com. Kate is a very active volunteer with the Crafting for Animals Guild and uses her talents generously to help the guild in every way she possibly can.

She is one of many members participating in the coupon week from 10/23 through 10/29 to help raise funds for the Close to Home Animal Rescue group in Ohio/Pennsylvania, the spotlight charity for CFA Guild during October in honor of National Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month. Read all about the promotion HERE, and get the coupon code so you can shop with Kate and the other guild artisans during that week.

How do you choose what type of dog that is best for you?

How do you choose what type of dog is best for you? Or put differently, what kind of dog are you and your family the best fit for?

It's not all about looks, but of course, we all have our preferences for what type of dog is cute. I know, I know, not everyone prefers the big giant fluffy Newfoundland dogs like I do lol. I would suggest starting with a list of what type of dog you prefer.

1. What size dog? Perhaps you just LOVE Great Danes but you live in a tiny apartment... hm.... but start with what you like best for your list, then compromise from there if need be.

2. What breed? Perhaps what type of breed doesn't matter to you, but if it does, this needs to be on your list too. Oh, and please, please research the breed thoroughly if you aren't very familiar with it already. An example that comes to mind is my favorite breed the Newfoundland Dog. As puppies they look like cute, fluffy little bear cubs. Oh yes, they are adorable!! However, soon these little bundles of fluff grow up to be big, very big, and strength to match or surpass their size.

They need exercise, obedience training and sometimes people can't handle their 150 pound newf. Then that dog could very well get placed in rescue or shelter and lose their family. Think before buying! I happen to love newfies, they are awesome, but they are not for everyone. I see the cute puppies and know that they will one day grow up to be huge dogs, and that's okay with me but I also had newfies before.

3. That does bring up point number 3 here. Do you have time to exercise a dog? All dogs need exercise. On our walks I see dogs that appear to mostly just be in their backyard for exercise. That is not acceptable. Dogs like that often end up barking obsessively at everything and anything. It really isn't their fault either. They are bored beyond belief so they pick up bad habits.

4. Money? Dogs need veterinary exams, vaccinations and routine care. Sometimes you have to take your dog to the vet for more than routine visits too. Dogs cost to upkeep and over here in the U.S. pet insurance sure doesn't seem to be a widespread thing like in Europe. Here you pay upfront even if you do have insurance usually, then they pay you back if your claim is accepted. In Europe, it works the same as medical usually does here for humans. You pay a co-pay then it goes through the insurance company.

5. Now, if you have your list together... and by all means this isn't an inclusive list, you should have a good idea of what type of dog might be good for you. With your list together, look up rescue groups for whatever breed you are interested. You can also go to your nearest shelter and see what types of dogs they have.

6. The most important thing I did leave for the last list point here. It is if you (and your family too) are a good fit for the dog, not just is the dog a good fit for you. Perhaps you came looking for a small dog, but that senior labrador retriever is a perfect match anyways? Choosing a dog that is good for you can be simple and can be difficult, but if you find the dog that is your match, oh so rewarding.

Gunilla Wachtel - Kanweienea Kreations Artfire studio
Gunilla is an artist who sells fine art prints and originals of orcas, horses, dogs and more through Artfire and other sites.