Gauge learns to sit for his dinner

Part of helping Gauge be all that he can be is helping him in a positive way to learn a few manners that he just might not have picked up along the way on the mean streets of California.  I use this exercise with all the dogs I temp or foster. Basically I just hold the food dish in my hand until the hungry guy sits then upon sitting I put the dish down and say "good sit". Normally I don't use any language at all in the beginning, but of course because the camera was on I had to say SOMETHING so I asked Gauge to sit.
New to this video camera thing I had forgotten to delete all the other videos and pictures so you don't get to see me put the dish down for Gauge but you get the idea. I love how excited he gets to eat but not completely over the top. Sometime I will record feeding time at my house and post it......we have barking (Sage), whining (Liza), and then there is Skip who runs from one end of the house throwing his ball in the air and then chasing it down, catching it, and killing it, over and over and over, Jenny gets a whimper in now and then besides clawing at my knee and Birdie sits quietly waiting for her dish right where her dish lives.

 But for now here is sweet Gauge learning manners.....

Gauge is such a love....

Here is Gauge in one of his favorite positions. He seems to really like being held like a baby and having his tummy rubbed. He is such a love bug.

Gauge and foster pack out in the woods.

Check out Gauge and his foster pack going for a walk in the woods! Gauge is the one with the leash on, you will also know him as the one who stopped to pee. For those of you who know our pack, Liza-Bear the Minnie Pinnie is in her usual position..out in front of the pack scouting.

I don't feel soooo good....

Awwwww Gauge-Buddy is home now from his neuter surgery and he is relaxing next to my computer. Poor guy, he is not sure what happened and why the other dogs keep hovering around wanting to catch a whiff of his behind. Things will look brighter tomorrow for him.

The grass is looking greener for Gauge.

Gauge-Buddy, as we call him, seems to be adjusting to his foster home just splendidly. We'll see how he feels about us today after we pick him up from his neuter surgery. It will be all loves and TLC for you little Buddy while you recuperate. We just want you to be all ready for your forever home.

  

Incidentally Gauge is available for adoption!

I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat!

I did I did I did......

So far Gauge had not shown any interest in Theo the Cat. Until today.......we were out in the yard and he was fixated on something in the flower bed and I had no idea what he was looking at.

 What is it Lassie? Timmy fell in the well?

 No? Just letting mom know there are a few weeds needing to be pulled?

 No? Maybe you have just spotted your first glimpse of a NW slug?

 No? Maybe you were just taking time to smell the flowers?

 No? Well what in the world could it be???

Ohhhhhhh I see Gauge, you found yourself mesmerized by an orange colored alien....

 And this is what makes Theo the Cat a "dog savvy" cat. He doesn't run, but I wouldn't cross him either.

 No worries, Gauge was juuuuust looking, he means him no harm, he was just very interested.

 Good boy Gauge-Buddy, way to give Theo space! I would say Gauge would be fine to be adopted by someone with a "dog-savvy" cat like Theo. 

Sweet Gauge is available for adoption!

Does this belly band make me look fat?

Belly bands are the greatest invention! Mr. Gauge is sporting an owl print belly band made by the daughter of one of our foster parents. Because it is totally normal for dogs to want to mark "their territory" in new situations, especially where there are already dogs in the house, belly bands make the potential for marking a non issue while the dog is settling in. For the most part Gauge seems to be house-trained and has not had any poop accidents in the house. His inclination to lift his leg has been diminishing too in just the few days he has been in our home and he has earned some time in the house without the belly band too! Gauge also will be getting his neuter surgery this Friday and that will also help in the marking department.

 Gauge has the softest big brown eyes....

Gauge loves to cuddle and to be held. He is such a sweet boy.

Here I am, I made it!

Hello, I am Gauge, a rescued Rat Terrier with New Rattitude! This is me after a very long ground transport. I am about 3 years old and was rescued from a shelter in California. My fur was pretty dirty and I was really hungry but my foster mom gave me a bath when we got home and I ate my dinner and then I sprawled out in my foster dad's lap to take a snooze and just relax.

This was me and Skittles asking another foster mom for a yummy treat.

I was REALLY wanting that treat. Do you see how I am sitting so patiently? I am a really good boy...

Counting down the hours......

We are all set for our foster dog to arrive. We will pick him up tomorrow! His name will be Gauge. We decided on the name Gauge as our first auto/transportation theme name. Dave mechanically restores vintage Chevrolet cars and trucks for a living. He has also worked on old Military Jeeps and trucks, Pontiacs, a Stanley Steamer, Mercedes Benz, and I am sure a few more I am not thinking of. We both love the old stock door handles, hood ornaments, and gauges. Modern digital gauges just don't have the personality of the vintage gauges of yesteryear. This is where we came up with our second foster dog's name Gauge.

Getting ready for Gauge...

Jenny is test driving the crate Gauge will sleep in making sure mom washed all the bedding well and then adding just a bit of home to it by making sure he knows "Jenny was here".

Isn't five enough???

Meet from back to front: Skip-Dawg, Birdie-Girl, Silver Sage, Jenny-Boo, and the odd dog out, that would be Liza-Bear. Yes these are our 5 personal dogs. Five should be enough, shouldn't it? Truthfully? Yes it is. BUT summer is a very busy time of year for New Rattitude -WA. There are so many Ratties in shelters that need to get out of there and into the safety of foster care that occasionally I will be wearing two hats, or more, in my volunteer duties. Mostly I am the adoption coordinator for NR-WA and it is my job to go through all the applications that come in for our dogs in foster care and to help match dogs up with good fit forever homes. I am adding foster parent to my duties to help out this summer, so for a few months there will be a 6th dog (foster dog) at our house. Many of the foster parents have cool blogs which showcase their foster dogs and give an almost day to day account of pictures and progress these dogs are making in their foster homes. So I am going to try my hand at this blog thing and in the next few days will be introducing you to Gauge our 2nd foster dog. My pack is ready and waiting......and so is my husband and I.....