Our Foster Girl Sybil!

We have a new lil girl in the house and her name is Sybil. She is a real gem and has been really good for Timken who is a little awkward in his dog interactions. Sybil seems to understand this and will tolerate him getting in a lap with her, or accidentally walking on her where the other dogs are not quite as forgiving with his awkwardness. Sybil is a Rat Terrier Mix, most likely Chihuahua, but she has plenty of terrier qualities to go around, along with a few Princess qualities. LOL

Sybil gets a little cold so she likes to wear a shirt to help keep her warm.

Pink suits her personality don't you think?

Sybil meets Cony when he was here for a visit.

 

Sybil likes to get out and about, she loves to explore and walks well on leash.

At 10 lbs she is at her ideal weight!

In this video you will see Sybil join in and run around with Jack (Cony)

 

She loves to be outside if there is sun involved, if it is raining...well that is another story. lol

Timken and Sybil enjoying a sunspot on a crisp fall day.

Sybil and Timken enjoying lap time with foster mom.

Such a sweet sweet girl.

Timken and The Comfy Cone

Timken has an owie that he just can't seem to leave alone. So we decided he needed to be coned as we have had a tough time keeping him from licking it. So off to the pet store we went. We bought something called a Comfy Cone and it has a sweet little picture of a doggie sleeping soundly while wearing it. Timken is a very under-socialized pup and anything new or novel can really mess with his personal comfort zone which is very narrow at this point. We were hoping this Comfort Cone would not cause him too much stress so that his "licky spot" could heel. Well let's see how comfy he was with the Comfy Cone.

This picture looks so sweet. So you just put this cone on the dog and then he will just fall asleep? Sounds like a good thing doesn't it!

Here is Tim's "licky spot". Pretty sure this is from when he had his neuter surgery a few weeks ago, he just does not want to leave it alone

I thought once the Comfy Cone was on I was supposed to have a sleeping doggie. Tim had other plans poor baby. He was not really a fan. He sat in this position for quite some time.

Tim did manage to get down out of the chair but he was so nervous wearing the cone. I couldn't stand it. He is so sensitive, so I took it off him. We will keep working on it.

Tim is much more comfy on the pillow with the plush blanket, this is his Comfy Spot. I keep telling him as long as he doesn't lick he doesn't have to wear the cone. What a love. We'll get that leg healed up, just need to keep working on it.

Vespa Scoots In For a Visit. Pupdate! With Elphie

Remember little Vespa?

The little 3 legged girl with the turned up nose?

Vespa has come for a visit. We had not seen her in over a year! Don't you just LOVE the collar???

She is allllll growed up and boy can she get around! Her lack of one leg doesn't slow her down a bit. She is the sweetest kid.

Look at her go! Go Vespa Go! And who is the other dog in the picture you ask?

Why that is Elphie, Vespa's fur sis. Isn't she the cutest thing ever?

Vespa and Elphie hit it off from day one. Elphie is a bit shy and more reserved and Vespa is such a great sis, she makes sure Elphie is okay at all times.

Look at the strength is this girls hind end! She uses the partial leg for balance when she is flying around doing rattie runs.

Watch the speed little Vespa has in her. She is as fast as any 4 legged dog.

Timken has been fine with Vespa and Elphie, he even chased Vespa around the yard in between rain showers. Tim is just beginning to learn to play so it was nice to see him letting loose and having fun.

"Auntie G, if we pose real nice, will our mama's come to get us soon?" Elphie really misses her moms. Vespa, who had lived with us for a couple of weeks as our foster girl fell right back in as she knew the ropes. Such beautiful girls who have been angelic while their moms are away. Just a couple more days and you girls will be back home again. We will miss these two little girls, who wouldn't?

Dressed For Success

Belly Bands are an awesome tool in working with house training in male dogs. Such a simple thing, a band of fabric that helps to keep them in check when lifting a leg to pee or mark in the home. Due to the fact that Tim has some anxiety we use belly bands off and on depending on if we can watch him in the home or if something new to his environment gets him thrown off, like a new dog coming into the home or visiting a friend's home where he tends to get a bit over anxious. Of course we keep him on a very regular schedule and he gets lots of praise for going potty outside. He is super duper in the morning now, upon being let out of his crate he will run all the way downstairs to the front door and wait for me to let him out so he can go do his business outside. Timken has also experienced some submissive urination in the beginning with us while he settled in. The belly band helped to catch the pee that he lost when he felt nervous about us handling him.

I keep telling him belly bands are not to be ashamed of, they are just part of him being "dressed for success", and this way we all can work on what is important, him learning he can always trust us and that we are always trying to find ways for him to do the right thing without there being an issue about it.

Tim does not need the belly bands nearly as often anymore and the more he shows he is reliable the more freedom he gets. It is a win win!

Poor Tim, not quiet sure what to think of the belly band at first.

Well he found he can still move about and still ask to get up in foster dad's chair! Hey his tail still works with the belly band on too!!

Here is Tim and Jack (Cony) who had visited a couple of weeks ago. They are both dressed for success and I am happy to say that we had no accidents or wet belly bands while they acclimated to each other. Jack is pretty much belly band free in his adopted home with his dad but sometimes new situations can cause a slight set back, that is when we make sure the boys in our house are dressed for success! Eases the issue for everyone involved.

Jack in frog position with his belly band on.

Tim's Fall Photo Shoot

Yesterday we took Timken to a Rat Terrier Meet Up at a small dog off leash park. There were so many ratties and rattie moms and dads. This venue was too much for Tim as he was kind of a nervous wreck about everything new. New place, new people, new dogs and noise and bustling. I didn't get any pictures taken as I was more concerned with making sure he was ok and also managing the other 4 dogs we brought with us.

But have no fear! I did get a lot of beautiful pictures of Tim today as he was relaxed in the yard in the sunshine.

Oh Tim you handsome devil (angel) you....

Tim is filling out nicely, he has gained a few ounces and I think he is at his ideal weight now!

Just like a model, strike a pose.

Tim and Skip showing how the young and the senior models do it.

Money shot! KA-CHING!

Timken Enjoys a Sunspot

We have had nothing but fog at our place for over a week, but yesterday the sun came out and Timken found a sunny spot to enjoy for just a little while.

I love how much more confident Tim is looking. He still has a ways to go but we see progress every day.

Jack aka Cony Visits and Meets Timken

We have a visitor for a couple of days! Jack (who was Cony) is in the house. His dad had an engagement and he has been doing so much good work with getting Jack and his confidence level up that he wanted to leave him in a place where he was familiar to Jack and it worked out that we could squeeze him in. lol

He has been doing some training with his dad and a positive trainer, he has his "sit" down and we are practicing his "down" with him as he still needs to do his homework even if at a sleepover.

Jack (L) and Tim getting to know each other

Jack really wants to engage Tim and Tim is not sure about it.

Tim (L) is still working through some low confidence stuff. What handsome boys!

Jack (11 o'clock) demonstrates his awesome "sit" with Skip, Birdie, and Jenny, while Tim hopes he can have a treat just for being cute.

Such good dogs!