The Great Foster Adventure: Our First Year in Review

Thought I'd let everyone know that Drew and I are taking a much-needed fostering break for the holidays. Coming off of a ten month foster bonanza, we need a minute to catch up with each other, things around the house, and of course our own pups. I feel like we were trying to take a break since early summer, but it just didn't line up that way. I can't believe we're down to just our three dogs again for the first

time in almost a year! It is insanely quiet and calm. I can tell they're super happy. They need a breather as much as we do. Having said that, it's not even been two weeks and I'm already going through foster withdrawal. I haven't been to the shelter yet during this time and I know it's going to be hard to go without having the option to take someone home. Must resist! With law school exams lurking right around the corner, I need this time to focus on life beyond dog stuff. It sucks, but that's how it's got to be for a little bit. Plus we're going away for Christmas, so we'd need a foster-free house for that period anyway.

Anyhow, I think it'd be nice to write a few posts on my

own 

doggies during this down time. I also have a couple more product plugs lined up. So even though there won't be any new dogues invading until after Christmas, be sure to check back every now and then for other posts. Rest assured, come the new year we will get back on track! In the spirit of reflection, check out the pictures of all the pups who 

passed through our home this year. What a great bunch! Paws up for all of them and their wonderful new lives! This first year of fostering was incredibly rewarding and super fun. It has been such an adventure...can't wait for the next chapter! As always, thanks for reading!

Happy Tail: Suri Cruise!

Congratulations, Suri!

Well, that didn't take long at all! Little miss Suri Cruise is adopted! Hurray! Her new name is Zoe, how perfect! Suri stayed in an awesome NJ foster home for a week until her furever family took her home. How pawsome! She is going to be so happy. Hopefully we'll get some updates on her so we can see what she grows up to look like. That little monster is going to be adorable, I just know it! I love this pup and I'm so glad she's got a great home. She has so much personality...sometimes she's a rabble-rouser and other times she is just super snoozy and mellow. She does that hilarious thing where she sits down and just gives you the "I'm too cute to ignore" puppy death stare from across the room until you pick her up. She's a goof troop. Good luck, little girl!

Can we go home now?

Too cute...NJ foster siblings!

Happy Tail: Katie Holmes!

Congratulations, Katie!

I've got some more pawsome news to share: Mama Katie got adopted on Thursday night! Woot! She looks SO happy and seems to fit right in with her new pack. She's got two low-rider siblings just like her: Dottie and Bogey! You know that's a crew that's sure to turn heads walking down the street together. Katie's new name is Kit. I think that's super cute and fits her quite well. I'm so excited for her. Check it out: she's already claimed her new daddy's lap! Love the family photo! We were all a little concerned that Suri would get adopted right away and no one would want Katie. Everybody wants puppies, but all too often the mama gets left in the dust. SSR wasn't about to let that happen! As it turns out, Katie beat Suri to furever. Who would've thought?

Happy Suri in her foster home

Don't worry, Suri is super happy and cozy in her NJ foster home (enjoy the brain-meltingly adorable photographic evidence). Her furever will come soon enough, I'm sure. And don't feel sad that they're not adopted together, either. Sure, they'd been through a lot together and were definitely bonded, but they're very independent girls. Katie was starting to play a bit too roughly with Suri and she also became a little overly protective of her toward people when they got to NJ. I really think they'll both do better separately. They can start totally fresh. From what I've heard, it sounds like occasional play dates may even happen! So PAWS UP for Katie/Kit! Good luck, sweet mama girl. We are so happy for you!

Raven's Journey Continues: From Shelter to Sanctuary

5 weeks of healing!

We handed Miss Raven off to Canine Pet Rescue this evening. During her time at CPR, Raven will learn how to be a real GSD. She'll go through CPR's awesome training program, get to hang out with other German Shepherds at CPR's pristine kennel, enjoy the fresh Georgia country air, and build her leg strength back up. I can't wait to see super happy pictures of her romping in the fields and maybe even doing some bite work! Most of all, I will be so very happy to see her leg finish healing. This is Raven's fifth week out of the shelter and her leg, as you saw in my last blog post, has come so far. Dogs' healing powers amaze me. Clearly there's some Wolverine DNA in there somewhere. I know you're probably tired of the gory injury photos, but I can't help myself. Seriously, look at the difference!

She's just a big lovey goofball

Raven is going to make somebody an awesome family dog. While it seems she needs to be an only dog, she is great with kids. Miss Ray loves to lay on the couch or on the floor nearby her people. As long as she can be near you, she's a happy camper. She loves to play fetch and is a pro at "sit". Hey, come on, even I can teach a German Shepherd how to sit! She seriously sat the first time I asked and looked at me like, "Are you for real lady, this is all you've got?" Raven's so smart...I'm just thrilled that she's going to get all the mental stimulation and exercise she's been craving. I love my Chis and terriers, but there's just something extra special about having a highly intelligent dog that sees you as a partner.

Having said that, super smart dogs are a lot of work. We're tired. Our dogs are tired. Raven is the only one who isn't tired. She's ready to rock and roll at CPR and her leg isn't holding her back anymore. She's going to thrive. I'll post any pictures I get of Raven in her element at CPR and certainly her happy tail picture when she finds her furever home. Hopefully I'll be able to get my hands on some pictures of her leg after it's entirely healed, too. Be sure to check out the old video below of Raven enjoying her doggy bed and wagging her tail.

Good luck, Ravie Rave!

So if you or someone you know is looking for a Georgia German Shepherd, please help us network these amazing dogs by liking/sharing CPR's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/caninerescue

If you'd like to donate to Canine Pet Rescue so they can continue to help other dogs like Raven, please follow this link: http://www.caninepetrescue.com/how-you-can-help/donate.html

Raven's Recovery: Putting One Paw in Front of the Other

Weekly carpal progress

Weekly armpit progress, clockwise from top left

Lovely Miss Raven is doing fantastic. We are at the one month mark today and her leg is looking great. Her most recent follow-up was on Halloween. The vet was super happy with how everything looked and decided that from here on out, we're ok to go bandage free and let the fresh air finish up the healing process! Raven is doing such an awesome job not licking excessively (with the help of a little bitter spray). She's also walking a lot better without the bandage. I'm sure it felt funky and was probably restricting her range of motion a little. In the picture collage on the left, you can see how far Raven's carpal injury has come in the last four weeks. Top left: initial wound, top right: two weeks into recovery, bottom left: three weeks in, and bottom right: four weeks from initial vet visit. It's totally filled in/granulated, which means there's no longer bone or tendon exposed and no holes remaining. The gray perimeter you see in the bottom right photo is new skin forming. Her armpit wound has really come a long way as well. It was pretty deep and required a drain and stitches (which Raven promptly ripped out on day 1). Despite the awkward location and difficulty keeping the stitches in, it's done remarkably well. She'll probably have a long scar there where the dead tissue sloughed off, but no biggie. She'll still be beautiful, scars or no scars!

Dainty little temp bandage!

Now that all the extensive home care is finished (no more bandage changing, no more medications, no more weekly vet trips), Raven is good to move on to the next stage of her journey toward furever. We're taking her out to the Canine Pet Rescue farm this Friday and turning her over to Carla & Co. She'll stay at the CPR kennel (which is a gorgeous facility on a breathtaking spread of land out in Dacula, GA) until she gets adopted. They'll put her through their awesome training program and she'll learn how to be a real GSD. I'm super excited for her...I know she's going to thrive. I'm sure she won't have to wait very long for a home either; she's such a beautiful and sweet girl.

Enjoying the patio at Midway!

Last night, Raven and I met some friends for drinks. We sat on the restaurant's patio for a couple hours and Raven was super well behaved. There were loud crowds and other dogs on the patio, but she minded her manners perfectly and even let strangers pet her. This was Raven's first social outing. We've taken her for walks in the park several times, but nothing like this before. She handled the socialization so well. I was a proud foster mama! I have to say: I think all my foster dogs are beautiful, but it's extra fun when I have an ultra stunning dog to show off (ahem...Cowboy...). Miss Raven certainly is a showstopper! Nobody can resist her beautiful dark sable coloring and all that shadowing around her face and ears. And pink/fuschia is definitely her best color. I just can't wait to see how pretty she is when that leg is completely healed! She is getting closer to that point every single day. You know I'll share whatever pictures I receive! Stay tuned.

Katie & Suri Head North

Bon voyage, girls!

Today I sent Katie and Suri on transport to See Spot Rescued in New Jersey. They went on the FODA van and we crated them together so they could stay snuggly and (hopefully) less stressed. Mama and Suri have been through so much together...they're such a cute little team! I felt nothing but happiness when I said goodbye to them today. They are the sweetest little things, but I am just so excited for them to take the next step toward furever. I know their lives are going to be filled with so much love, whether they get adopted together or separately. For now, they'll go to a foster home together until

Like mother, like daughter

they get adopted. I'll keep you posted as I find out about their journeys. Paws crossed for safe travels and bright futures for Katie Holmes and Suri Cruise! They deserve nothing but the very best. Good luck, girls!

Please share widely...Katie especially needs help generating adoption interest! I think Suri has a few people interested, but nothing concrete. If you're in the Jersey City area and would like to adopt Katie or Suri, please email SSR and request an application: seespotrescued@gmail.com