Banks Went Home

Banks (now Banx) went home to his forever family on Saturday. He now has three wonderful human sisters and amazing parents who were all so excited to welcome him into their lives and hearts. We couldn't be happier for you, Banx!

Summertime and the livin' is easy.....

So Banks has been living with us for about a week and a half now and he has been a lot of fun to have around. This past weekend we made a trip to Michigan and Banks was the perfect house guest and was friendly towards everyone he met. From my experience with foster dogs, they're often quite shy around new people...not Banks! He loves everybody and that's a great thing because everyone wants to stop and pet him when we're at the park.

Here are a couple pictures of Banks at the dog park....

Banks is starting to get the hang of drinking out of a water bottle

 

Banks got his "summer cut" this weekend

Banks definitely loves being outside and he walks so nicely without even needing a harness. I would say that he's fully house trained now and we have been allowing him to sleep uncrated at night. We have also been letting him be free in the house if we're only going to be gone 4-5 hours. Banks really enjoys having something to chew on; hooves seem to be his favorite. He is also a tug-of-war fanatic...he's always ready for a play session.

Run Banks Run!

Banks has come so far in the few days that we've had him. He is learning to respond to his name and come back to us when called. He also stays with us reliably when we're at the dog park so I decided that he was definitely ready to join Jim and I when we run in the morning. Banks has been running 2-3 miles with us, off-leash, at one of the local dog parks and it's safe to say that he absolutely loves it! Banks is a little running machine. Here's a picture of him from this morning:

Are you looking for a super sweet, cuddly dog who would also make a great exercise partner? Banks is your guy! He's also house and crate trained, walks nicely on a leash and hasn't chewed on anything that wasn't meant for him. What more could you ask for???

Monday Morning Cuteness

Wanna know the best way to start a Monday? Waking up to this cute little face:

That picture was actually taken by another wonderful Fluffy Dog volunteer (Thanks again Julie!)

Wanna hear something mind blowing? Banks is even cuter in person...and he has a sweet personality and super soft fur. Need a little more convincing that Banksy is awesome??? He has the whole potty routine down to a science. He will go to the door and whine when he needs to go out and he slept on the couch all night with no accidents. Good boy!

Friendly Boy!

This afternoon we picked up our newest foster, Banks, and I have to say he is one of the friendliest dogs I've ever met! It took him about 2.5 seconds to decide that we were best friends and he settled in nicely during the car ride home. Banks loves to ride in the car and enjoys looking out the window even though he has to stand on his tippy toes to do so. Right now we're working on giving him a trim and a bath so he will be looking his best :) He has super soft fur and has been a champ throughout the grooming/bathing process. Here are a few pictures....

Sugar Found Her Forever Home!

On Sunday, Sugar (now Laker) found her forever home where she will be deeply loved by her wonderful new family. Laker is such a great girl and I know she will be entertaining her family with her happy-go-lucky personality. While we miss her lots, it was so awesome to see her go home with people who will give her the wonderful life she deserves.

Happy Dog

Sugar continues to be a great pup. While she definitely has enough energy to tear it up at the dog park she's also very calm in the house. Sugar is really the best of both worlds. She's a dog who's up for any outdoor adventure and then she's ready for a little R&R back at home. Plus she's a neat size...not too big and not too small (about 30 lbs.). Sugar is so fun to take to the park because she loves to play with other dogs and it's wonderful to see her socializing and having the time of her life. She definitely seems to prefer playing with dogs closer to her own size but certainly isn't afraid of dogs that are bigger than her. Sugar approaches every dog with the idea that they're going to be her new best friend but she definitely doesn't push them to play with her if they don't want to.

Here are some pictures of Sugar at the dog park.....

I love this picture...

Happy girl :)

Look at that smile!

The Girl Can Run!

This morning Jim, Sugar and I headed to the dog park to run and I was worried that Sugar wasn't going to be able to keep up with us. I couldn't have been more wrong! This little dog has some go. She quickly set the pace at a full out sprint and kept that up for about 2 miles. She seems to love running with Jim and I which is amazing. After we were done running, Sugar met up with a 5 month old Husky and they instantly instigated a game of "chase me". It was great to see Sugar having so much fun enjoying the freedom of running around with a new friend :)

Pictures later!

Sugar Pie

So we were thinking that the house seemed a little empty without Miss Julia so on Friday we picked up our new foster, Sugar. We don't know much about Sugar's background but we feel confident that she's going to make an awesome family member for someone!

Here's the rundown on what we know about Sugar so far:

• She's super fun-loving....enjoys running around at the dog park and playing with toys in the house.
• No food aggression or possessiveness over toys/treats. Super treat motivated...makes training much easier.

Taking a quick break in the shade...

Hello friend!

• She loves playing with her big brother Jim and really every dog that she meets. She's a social butterfly for sure!
• She slept for 8 hours in her crate last night without a peep. No potties in the crate at all. 
• Sugar really knows how to expend some energy outside and with playing in the house but when it's time to settle down and chill for a little while she knows just what to do (curl up on the couch or on the floor with her brother).
• She walks relatively well on a harness/leash set-up. 

What's up????

Sugar seems to be as sweet as her name implies. Stay tuned for updates as we learn more about her.....

Home Sweet Home!

 Miss Julia (Roberts) went home with her awesome forever family last Friday. Although I miss her dearly and think of her often, my heart couldn't be happier for her and her new family. They are a perfect fit for each other and there's no doubt that Julia is going to have a wonderful life with them.

Go ahead and try not to fall in love.....

Julia's "thinking ear" is out in full force :)

Happy girl!

Happy Girl

Julia has been loving this amazing weather; she gets to spend a lot of time outside and she enjoys every minute of it....

Go Julia Go! 

A nice breeze and some sunshine...life doesn't get much better! Just look at that smile.

When Julia isn't outside running around she likes to attend her training class where she's learning all kinds of good doggie behaviors and manners. Julia definitely likes having a job to do and she's catching on really quickly to the new things we're learning. It's worth mentioning that she takes treats very gently so there are no worries that your fingers might be enjoyed along with the treats.

Julia is such a little sweetie pie. She is awesome at cuddling and would be more than happy to lift your spirits with one of her trademark "Julia Roberts" smiles. Julia is a happy-go-lucky little girl who will remind you that life is good!

Spring Is Here!

So I just realized that it has been quite a while since I updated Julia's blog. We have been so busy playing outside and going to training classes that it kind of slipped my mind for a few weeks. Here's what Julia has been up to lately...

Tonight, Julia is finishing up the Rescue U Class at The Dog Den (http://www.thedogden.com/rescue_u.php). It has been an amazing experience for Julia and I as we worked on building her confidence with learning new skills (sit, leave it, recalls, look at that, etc.) and I'm happy to say that Julia did a fabulous job. She is a very smart girl and she really enjoys going to training classes.

Since she likes the training classes so much we will be starting another class with her and our other dog next week. If you live anywhere near the Madison area and are looking for an awesome place to take your dog for daycare, training and holiday boarding please check The Dog Den out. Their staff is incredibly knowledgeable about all things canine and you can rest assured that they will treat your fur child as their own.

http://www.thedogden.com/index.php


This past weekend we took a trip to Michigan and I'm happy to report that Julia handled the five hour car ride like a champ. She slept almost the whole way on the blanket "nest" that she made for herself in the backseat. No whining or anxiety here! Julia was also awesome with meeting all of the new people once we arrived and had a great time running around on the family farm. She has been very reliable with her recalls and leave its so it's really fun to hang out with her outside. Julia looks up to our dog as her big brother and loves to follow him around. Believe it or not, she's incredibly fast and she's able to keep up with him for the most part.

Julia also met a couple of new dogs while we were in Michigan and she was very polite with her greetings and playing. She had a great time instigating a game of "chase me" with my sister's lab. She is super nimble and graceful which kind of made me think that she might enjoy taking an agility class someday. While I wasn't fast enough to get a picture of Julia playing with Toby (the lab), here are some other pictures that show just how quick this little girl is:

Go Julia Go!!!

Julia playing "catch me if you can" with a super cute husky/poodle mix

It's Friday, Why Not Have Another Update?

It's also worth mentioning that Julia just started her first training class at The Dog Den (http://www.thedogden.com/). For those of you who don't know, The Dog Den is in my opinion the most wonderful dog training/daycare/boarding facility around. 

Julia has come so far in the four weeks that we have had her; she now responds to her name and will happily sit for a treat or some praise. We are working on improving her recalls and teaching her "down." Julia is very smart so I'm sure she will master those new skills and be working on others in no time. She is also much braver about approaching new people and is learning that they are often the bearers of treats and nice pets.

When she's not in class, Julia enjoys spending lots of time outside running around. While she would probably adapt to only going for walks on a leash, I will say that she truly loves to run free. If you're looking for a buddy to go on outdoor adventures with you, she's your girl!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Julia. I also love that Jim is in the background :)

Julia The Great Adventurer!

Julia continues to be so much fun to have in our lives. Our other dog, Jim, loves her and she really looks up to him as her big brother and partner in crime. Jim really enjoys swimming, even in freezing cold water on a frigid day. When Julia saw Jim swimming out to chase some ducks, much to our surprise, she hopped in the water and swam after him.

Jim was already about halfway across the pond when Julia decided to join him. Brave Girl!

Almost back to shore! It was only about 35 degrees outside and I can't even imagine how cold the water must have been.

 

 

Sweet Sunshine!

 We've been enjoying our time with Julia as much as the amazing sunshine and beautiful weather we've had this past week.

Julia continues to be the model foster dog and in case you need a little refresher or are new to our blog here are just a few of the reasons why she's so awesome:

• Julia is house and crate trained. We trust her to roam the house with our other dog while we're at work. Haven't had an incident yet.

• She is very good/calm about getting baths and having her nails trimmed. She stayed very still while we cut her nails and she accepted her bath much better than Jim (our other dog) does. It's also worth mentioning that she doesn't shed very much at all.

• She is ultra cuddly and knows how to appreciate the little things in life, like soaking up the sunshine during nap time.

•  She adapts really well to everyone's energy level. We currently take the dogs to the park twice a day and then walk them before bedtime. Julia would be totally fine with a few walks a day and less frequent trips to the park, if that's more your style. She loves to play with toys and enjoys ripping the felt off of tennis balls (super cheap distraction!). While she really likes sniffing/running around outside she doesn't need hours of intense exercise to keep her happy.

•  Julia is excited to be your new best friend, but we are more than happy to keep her until you're ready.

Julia is my cup of tea (or coffee)

What better way to start your morning than with a super cuddly dog and a nice hot cup of coffee....

Things We Love About Julia....

If you've read our blog you're probably picking up on the vibe that we love Julia...a lot. Here are just a few  reasons why she's so awesome:

• She is crate and house trained. She has never gone potty in the house and will sleep soundly in her cozy crate all night. That being said, if you didn't want to crate her you could completely trust her to free roam the house. That's what we do during the day and there hasn't been a mishap yet.

• She has a ton of personality. She does this thing where she closes her eyes almost all the way and then smiles. She was doing that on the car ride to the dog park yesterday afternoon.Cutest thing ever. She also jumps around in circles when she gets really excited and sometimes hops around on her hind legs when she's waiting for a treat.

•  She is happy go lucky. Julia has adapted really well to all of the changes that have happened in her life in the past week or so. She made it through several very cold winter days and has learned to brave the foot of slush and mud that is currently inhabiting most of the dog parks. She's not one to whine and cry about being cold, wet or dirty. She loves to spend time outside with her people.

•  She is incredibly cuddly. After having some fun running around outside or wrestling with our much larger dog she is ready for a cuddle session. She will really match your energy level and seems to enjoy playing with toys in the house as much as going to the park or for a walk.

It's impossible not to fall in love with Julia....

Julia is a tough cookie!

It has been so cold for the past couple of days but Miss Julia has been outside with us three times a day braving the frigid weather. Yesterday afternoon we headed to the park to spend some time in the woods and Julia seemed right at home sprinting around with Jim (our other dog). She is really good about coming back as soon as she hears us calling her name and she is enjoying having a big dog to follow on the trails. Here are a couple pictures from our excursion:

She has those super cute ears where one is up and the other is down.

Julia, just like Jim, seems to be most excited about being out in the woods. I have to agree with them that it's  the best way to spend an afternoon!

In other news, a couple of nights ago Julia decided that she felt brave enough to play with Jim who outweighs her by about 60 pounds. He has been trying so hard to get her to wrestle with him and, understandably, she has been somewhat hesitant. She learned pretty quickly that she's a lot more nimble than Jim so she can fit herself into small spaces where he can't reach her and outmaneuver him when it comes to making quick turns. It was so funny to watch them careening around the house.

Julia has also learned that having stuffed toys to play with and things to chew on is pretty awesome. She has a tiny little mouth so she has been able to pull stuffing out of toys that I thought were already empty. Julia really enjoys playing tug of war and will also chase down a toy or ball if you throw it for her. After she has decided that she's done playing she's more than happy to curl up in your lap for some serious cuddle time.

Quick Update - Julia Loves Her Crate!

Our dog (Jim) is not crated and our first foster dog was not very fond of being crated (to say the least!), so we were pleasantly surprised when Julia took such a liking to her crate! 

 Julia will happily wander into her crate during the day to catch a little nap - it is her safe place and she has made a comfy nest for herself in there! At night she has no issues with going into the crate and doesn't make a peep when we leave the room.

Julia is also getting so much better about responding to her name and she will now come running when she hears "Julia, come on!" We can't possibly overstate what a sweet little girl she is. She is so eager to please and just loves to cuddle. We feel truly blessed to have her as a part of our family.

Julia took a nice car ride from Alabama to Madison on Saturday!

Saturday night we picked up Julia (Julia-Roberts on the website)!

Julia is an amazing terrier mix who loves to be petted and has quickly acclimated to home life.  Last night she was very excited to explore the house and the neighborhood on a nice (cold) walk.

She slept all night in the crate and we barely heard a peep out of her. In fact, we had to wake her up this morning because our other dog was ready to go out. We are unsure about her history but so far she is taking all of these new experiences in stride and with a wagging tail. Julia hasn't had any accidents in the house thus far and hasn't tried to get up on the counters or the kitchen table (although she can JUMP!!).  She is great with Jim (our big black dog) and ate her breakfast this morning. 

Corinne and Julia have been battling over shotgun!

Still a little shy but enjoying her freedom to run at the park.

She follows well but doesn't know her name or "come on" yet, so the drag along leash is our back up run-away plan at the fenced in dog park.

As close to action shots as a camera phone can get!

Julia loves rolling around on the carpet.  We will keep the blog updated on how the name, sit, and recall training go!

Chester is Home with his Forever Family Today!

Chester went home to his forever family this morning. He will now have a mom, dad, human brother and sister and a fur brother :)

When he left I think he took a little piece of all of our hearts with him, but we're happy to share because he deserves all the love in the world. Here's to you Chester, may you enjoy your wonderful new life and all the adventures that await you. We will miss you!

Hopefully Jim didn't teach Chester too many bad habits!

Impossibly cute...

 

Chester the Wonder Dog!

Update on Chester - No accidents in the house for 2 days!  That is a ton of progress since he was peeing with reckless abandon when we first got him.  It turns out that letting Chester out consistently and reinforcing outside potty with a treat does in fact work!

It also helps that we take him out in the middle of the night to go...

Action shot of Jim and Chester playing!

Pictures from the Weekend

Now that we have spent more time with Chester we have learned quite a few things about him - like he loves to roll in fresh snow!

He also rides very nicely in the car after looking out the window for a bit...

Chester excels at being cute and definitely isn't camera shy!

Chester is making great progress on greeting new people without jumping up on them.  He also has not been destructive with any non-toy items, although we don't leave any enticing shoes or other items laying around where he could get to them.  Chester really loves having something to chew on and it keeps him occupied for quite a while.

When Chester is not outside, training, playing with Jim, or chewing on something he loves to either curl up on the couch or lay by the window and enjoy his bigger temporary home!

Finally, we are very lucky because neither Jim (the big upside down one) or Chester seem to shed at all!  For size comparison, Chester last weighed in at 35lbs and Jim is about 80lbs.