Julia's Blog: Fostering Adoptable Dogs for Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue

Another week with Beau

2015-05-13T08:58:00.001-07:00

I sent in a longer update to the turtle gardens blog that you can see here: http://www.turtlegardens.org/blog/2015/05/08/beaus-foster-mommy-writes-in/

Beau is doing well! He is still barking when someone comes in the office but I do see improvement every day :) he's learning that time outs are not fun and if he doesn't stop barking when asked he will get one, so he's starting to put two and two together and gets better each day!

He's still a super cuddly little guy :) but also started playing! He found an adorable 8 month old puppy who likes to play and after Beau said no I don't want to play a couple times, the puppy was determined to play and then decided to play how Beau wanted. And voila! They were both laying on the ground play wrestling and having a great time :)

They had good puppy playtime for almost an hour then both, like typical puppies, crashed down for a long nap :)

Beau-Bear

2015-04-27T20:33:00.001-07:00

Beau is my newest Foster pup :) his name was originally Bo, but after spending more time with him I felt he needed a slightly softer name :)

He became attached at my hip pretty quickly. And he likes to be where I am. Even when other people he knows are around, I'm the clear favorite. At the dog run it was mentioned that he was definitely a "Julia-dog", and it turned out to be quite true! He quickly learned he could look to me and trust me and has been glued to my side.

But despite that, and the fact that I was warned he has some separation anxiety, he hasn't shown any seperation anxiety besides waiting by doors for me, or sitting and staring where he saw me last. But even doing that he settles quite quickly.

We went to Bosley's in North Van (Lonsdale) and they generously donated a bath to Beau! So we gave him a nice bath, and he was very well behaved! He let me wash him all over and even rinse around his eyes and mouth He did not like the blow drier though!

He is definitely funny though :)

So far he is showing he loves to cuddle, and is very smart! We are working on leash skills, and his alert barking reaction to some new things, both have been improving already!

He is getting along well with my TG Alumni cat Pekoe, and Rikki.

He is so far not showing much playfulness with dogs, and yelped at Rikki when she tried to initiate play with him. And though he seems interested when I initiate play with a toy he will go for the toy a few seconds, but is not really playing much with it. I'm hoping he will soon learn how much fun toys can be!

I was also expecting him to be 20-25lbs but he's actually much smaller! I haven't qeighed him yet but I'm putting him around only 10-15lbs.

I look forward to getting to know this little guy!

Coming Soon!

2015-04-21T09:20:00.001-07:00

Whirlwind

2014-10-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

That's what my life has been like for the past while!

A whirlwind of working, school, dogs, volunteering, and the list goes on!

I meant to post this update AGES ago! But of course, life happens!

ARCHIE WAS ADOPTED!

He was adopted by a wonderful family who just love his 6-8 year old, one-eyed self!

I've gotten a couple updates from his new family since adoption! AND some great photos!
(HE IS SO FLUFFY XD)

I miss him a lot, but I am so happy knowing he is where he belongs :)

Here's what his new family had to say!
"Hi Julia,

Just wanna give you an update on Archie. He's been doing awesome and everyone in the house absolutely loves him. He just got a groom today so he's all fluffy lol attached are some photos from today. I couldn't get him to pose for a good picture. He has really settled in our place good. He loves our couch haha always on it. I'll try to get you more photos soon."

"Here is a good photo of Archie at the park lol I let him run around the grass field for a bit and he got tired haha that's why he is sitting down :)"

Without further ado - here are his photos!

What a happy boy!

Stay tuned for news on my next adventure! :)

Photo update for Archie!

2014-07-21T16:04:00.001-07:00

Here are photos from hanging with me and the dogs at work, as well as attending an agility trial (he was such a good boy!), and he snuggles with the kitty sometimes too ;)

If you're interested in Archie please send an application to Turtle Gardens (link is in the sidebar)

Hats Off Day!

2014-06-24T14:54:00.001-07:00

Archie in his Outfit!

Wowee! I cannot believe it is Already 2/3 of the way through June and I still haven’t told you guys about how awesome Hats Off Day was! Time flies when Archie and I are having fun ;)

Well Hats off day is awesome – it’s a festival where the stores and organizations of The Heights get together and take their “hats off” to the community! There is a parade, events, entertainment, prizes, sales etc! This year was 80’s themed so I made Archie an outfit ;P

It was awesome this year! Great weather! And the parade was filled with floats and performers and charity/rescue organizations all there to give back to the community! Archie was such a good boy and was very well behaved! He did get excited when the people in bear costumes showed up in the parade – so I’m convinced he thought they were giant squeaky toys just for him! He was very fine with the crowds of people, and was very courteous of other dogs passing and greeting him (even when they weren’t! so polite!) and many people gave him compliments on his leg-warmers ;P (It was 80’s themed after all!) We visited all the vendors and Archie particularly loved the pet related ones! Van pet had some doggie ice cream, and Archie loved the doggie cake and cookies being handed out outside Big Dog Little Dog Bakery!

We also had a surprise meeting! I was walking along with Adam and Archie, when I looked over and saw a collie-looking dog and thought, huh those colors and markings look so familiar… I wonder…. Then she turned her face towards me and Yup, I was right! It was Amber! (or so I assumed, considering there probably aren’t many one-eyed look a-likes in Vancouver haha!) so I ran up and asked if she was in-fact Amber, and Yup she was! Her mum and me had a nice chat and Amber was so sweet! We even got a pic of Archie and Amber – the one-eyed Turtle Gardens “Twins” ;P

Amber and her Mum!

We also met up with Cash (previously Hawkeye) who is a grown-up big boy now! :)

Near the end of the event Archie was getting a bit tired, so would lie down for a rest when we were standing in line for things, fully spread eagled too! Haha!

It was a ton of fun and I hope Turtle Gardens can participate next year :D

Watching the Parade!

Taking a break!

After the event

Barkbox May 2014, Hats off Day 2014, no more kennel cough and hikes

2014-06-06T21:44:00.001-07:00

Wowza - what a title!
Before I tell you about the last two weeks with Archie - just wanted to share the good news! The kennel cough outbreak has just about passed and Archie will be able
To go back to daycare next week :) thank goodness he never caught it!

Also I wanted to thank the companies that donated raw food for Archie (he is on a raw diet) - Mr.Pets and Big Dog Little Dog Bakery :)

Archie went on a group dog hike (it was his first time and we're still working on recall so he went on a flexi-leash) and loved it! It was with Happy Dogs Hiking and Raw Food - and they also do awesome raw food and bones too! (And they're right in Burnaby!!). The dog walker/hiker said he did awesome! And that he was such an awesome dog!

Heres a picture of when he was finally holding somewhat still for a photo!

He hung out with my sisters puppy when they came to visit, and was not too impressed with her puppy "crazies" and had to tell her no thank you a couple times, but when she was calm he thought she was cool :)

He likes going to work with me and the minute we leave the house and walk towards it he gets excited (which is cute to see as he's usually so calm) - I jokingly call the female duck toller who comes to work with her mom (who I work with) his girlfriend because he really likes her. She's sweet and calm, and when we are working he goes and sleeps near her or sits with her :) it's very cute ;)

He's also very cuddly as you'll see in the pics and he rarely chases the kitty now, cause he knows not to - though I think part of that is she doesn't run away from him as much lol They even decide sometimes to snuggle together! :) using me as a pillow! Haha

He was also here when my BarkBox got delivered! And I wanted to tell you guys right away because there's a promo right now where you get 10% off your first subscription instead of the usual 5% for clicking the friends link! So if you use this link it will give you double the discount :D - and they give 10% to rescue groups (and have been very supportive of TG!) so you get 10% off and 10% still goes to rescue efforts! Win-win! :D

If you don't know what Barkbox is, it's a monthly subscription service for your pups! Each month you get 4-6 awesome dog items (toys, treats, chews, care items etc!) and they are locally sourced in Canada and the USA so no worries about the overseas treats issues! And they save me a ton of toys/treats for my dog plus help with my training! Because my pup is always getting an assortment of treats, so doesn't get bored of them and is more willing to work for them! And my foster dogs love them too! Plus I don't have to go to the store to buy one bag of treats and get tempted by other items and leave with a huge bill! I first got the 3 months subscription which quickly became 6 months, then a year! They are absolutely my favourite subscription and they have the most amazing customer service of any subscription I've ever been a part of! And they've donated to TG fundraising events too, and helped us raise some money for TG! :D!

Even if you just use the link above to use the discount on just one month to try it out - it's well worth it :)

Here is Archie (and Pekoe always comes to investigate!) helping me open my May BarkBox!

In the box we had:

- Nootie : No Grainers Jerky treats in BBQ Chicken ( Made in the USA!) -Retails $9.66

- Megablast Ball Large by JWPet - very cool ball that you can stuff peanut butter or other treats in! - Retails $11.99

- Snicky Snaks Apple Cobbler - these treats came in a super cute box and smell amazing! (Made in the USA, 100% Organic, GMO-free) - Retails $9.99

- Rozcoe Loopies Corduroy toy - this squeaky toy is shaped like a cat and seems fairly durable! Definitely a hit around here! -Retails $28.02

Total = 59.66

So this box was valued at almost $60!!!

But I paid only a third of that! This is awesome! :)

Archie will be coming with me to Hats Off Day - which is a parade and mini-festival where the stores and companies in the Heights (Hastings street from Boundary to Gamma) take their "hats off" to the community! There's a parade, entertainment, music, food!, firemen being dunked in a dunk tank lol (a crowd favourite!), and all the shops have sales and prizes etc - and it's this weekend!Saturday June 7th, everyone should come out! It's going to be a blast :) They close Hastings Street from Boundary to Gamma off for the parade and festival goers. Hope you all can come by and if you see Archie and me please stop by and say Hi! :D

Now I have to make him an 80's outfit for the day, and so far I think it looks pretty cool ;) (It's a work in progress)

Please leave comments to tell me what you think about it? ;)

What goes around comes around!

2014-05-26T09:55:00.001-07:00

Or at least Kennel cough does! It's really bad this year and it seems everyone is getting it! Tis the season after all! The daycare I take Archie too got kennel cough (despite requiring the vaccine). Luckily it happened after I had taken Archie and it was with the big dogs, and Archie was with the small dogs - so he didn't catch it. But now that means that I can't take him to daycare for about 3 weeks while we wait for it to clear up. Until then he'll just have a mini daycare experience when he comes to work with me as there are often 3-9 dogs at any time :)

The weather hasn't been quite as nice the last few days, but earlier in the week it was nicer and we took the pups on the trials :) they had a good time :)

And we visited Tisol too with them in their bandanas ;)

Archie's Adventures!

2014-05-16T22:17:00.001-07:00

SO far Archie has proved himself to be an awesome little pup! He's 25 pounds of love! He is doing so well at daycare and everyone who meets him loves him and comments on how friendly he is!

He came to one of my jobs wih me and had a great time meeting all the dogs (he met about 8 new dogs that day!) and hanging out with me :) (a bully stick didn't hurt either, hehe!).

He has great dog skills and is very calm and polite with dogs. Even my own dog Rikki (who needs slower introductions with most dogs as strange energetic dogs make her nervous) loved him! They go on walks together and hang in the yard together! But even though he listens well to the other dogs and is very polite, Archie will stand up for himself- which is great! A dog tried to mount him a few times and Archie ignored him, until the dog tried one too many times and Archie turned around and said "Bark!" (The equivalent to a human "Stop!") and because Archie was absolutely polite about it and just saying that he did not like that, the other dog stopped and they continued on hanging out :) so it's great that he is not just a "rollover and take it" type of dog. He is very calm and balanced around other dogs, and will speak up if he feels there is need. He was respectful of Rikki's initial nervousness, which is what helped Rikki see that he wasn't going to jump on her or come after her, so she actually invited Archie to play! (Which she only reserves for her favorite dogs!) which brings me to my last point with Archie and dogs - Archie enjoys the company of other dogs, but he does not like roughhousing. When dogs bounce around or run a little he seems happy to join in, but when they try to paw at him to come play etc he walks away and if they continue he gives them a polite "No thank you". The ladies at the daycare call him the dignified gentleman, haha :) cause he sniffs every one and says "good day!" To ally he dogs and enjoys their company and a romp around, but is too dignified to want to rough house ;P

So on that note, while he'd definitely enjoy a doggie friend in his forever home, he would prefer that it is a dog that would be respectful of his dislike for roughhousing.

He's been loving his walks and outings, but has decided he loves snuggling even more ;)

I don't let my fosters onto the furniture for the first couple days just so they can get used to everything and learn the basic house rules (before I break some, hehe!). Then once they've understood the basic rules, I show them that they can be broken, but only if asked. So he was very good about not getting onto the bed or couch, and instead slept next me. So quickly he was invited up, and now all he wants to do is cuddle haha! He's a very cuddly boy and he is just super sweet :)

He has shown a bit of separation anxiety vocally. He's non destructive but will whine at the door if you suddenly leave. He quiets fairly quickly though and is not very loud, and is getting better every day. But he. At not be suited for someone with super strict policies in their building or very thin walls. (Though my dad has the room next to me and said he never even heard him. But it is something to be aware of. I'm sure he's been a lot of places over his years, so I'm sure it will just take a bit of convincing that I haven't left him forever and he'll get quieter :) otherwise he is a very quiet dog, doesn't bark at the door, dogs, cats, strangers etc - he's just friendly!

**Edit: May 25th - his seperation anxiety has gone away and while he's not totally impressed to be left alone the most I get now is one small sign/whine and then he sleeps on the couch or bed waiting for me to come back (sometimes if he knows I'm leaving he puts himself to a nap before I'm even out the door haha!) So looks like he just needed a schedule and knowing I'll be coming back and his anxiety has gone away! :) And when I come back there's no barking of whining, just a wagging tail! And when the door is knocked he will give one single alert bark, but only when the door is fully knocked - not just from noises outside or anything. So he'd probably do fine in a building.**

His leash skills are very good and he walks well on a easy walker (front latched harness) but is alright on a collar too. He occasionally pulls a bit when he's finding a place to relieve himself or he is really interested in something, but not much and is pretty easy to get back on track.

He is still learning commands - we are working on waiting for food. He understands "out" and is getting better at sit and off. He doesn't seem to have had much obedience training, but he is not a huge misbehaver so perhaps there didn't seem to be much need in teaching those things - not sure. All I know is that we are working on training, and his future parents and Archie would both absolutely benefit from taking him to obedience classes :) he used to run for his food dish but is learning to wait until I've placed it, then once he looks at me and I say okay and he can go get it. (On another good note he hasn't shown resource guarding with either people or animals)

Speaking of other animals: My cat and Archie have a very weird relationship haha! Archie will be chasing her one minute and then laying down just a foot away the next! And it's not like Archie chases her all the time, if she's just walking around, sometimes he ignores her and walks past, other times he sniffs her, and sometimes she decides to run - and when she does he trots after her. But then when I call him away, she runs back to him! Haha! I think she's a bit of a glutton for punishment, or more likely she's just enjoying the back and forth. She knows he's harmless, or she wouldn't lie down on the floor next to him. They are just hilarious together ;P he'd do best with a cat that would tell him off though (mine doesn't haha).

On a random note I keep accidentally calling him...Austin no idea why... I didn't even realize I was doing it until Adam pointed it out to me! So maybe that's a sign that he should have a name change? Not sure. But when I looked back over my previous blog post I saw I wrote Austin in there too! Well time will tell if his name changes or not.

And I have some interesting news! We took him to the vet to get his kennel cough vaccine to go to daycare, and when we were there the vet checked him and asked how old he was. When I said 5, he looked confused, and checked a couple things again and then said he was actually closer to 8! So somewhere between 5 and 8 is Archie's true age and only he knows it! (And he's not telling ;P)

My guess for his breed is Cocker Spaniel and Springer Spaniel.

My clues are this:

He's too leggy to be pure cocker

His tail is docked which means someone had him as a puppy and docked it (why would they do that unless he was all spaniel?)

His size - he's 25lbs and taller than a cocker but not too large

Now I could totally be wrong - but that's my guess, what are your guesses on his breed make up?

Now for some pics! :)

Fun at work with me :)

Trails with Rikki!

Snuggle time!

Pekoe and Archie napping

Treat time!

This the best photo I have of how he sleeps lying down haha! He sleeps spread-eagled ;P This was right after a good trail walk and he was pooped haha ;P

To be continued... :)

Long time no blog!

2014-05-14T11:08:00.000-07:00

Yup, it's been a long time since my last post, but it's also been a long time since my last foster dog!

To catch you up in a nutshell:

-I fostered an awesome cat for TG and adopted her! Her name is Pekoe :)

- I've been competing in Agility and Rikki has now moved into Advanced Jumpers and we're two Q's from our first title!

-I've begun training and competing in Rally-Obedience! Rikki just entered her first tournament and in the course of that ONE trial she qualified in every round and moved into Advanced! She now has her Novice Title!

-Now I'm fostering a Spaniel mix!

Yup meet my new foster dog Archie!

He is believed to be a 5 year old Cocker Spaniel mix (likely with another spaniel).

He is a special boy as he only had one eye. But he doesn't let that stop him from

Enjoying life! He walks great on leash and loves his walks. He is very good with other dogs and goes to daycare! He loves people too and doesn't jump up too often but sometimes does when excited. Due to having only one eye he would need a home without young children as their quick unpredictable movements can make dogs like Austin nervous.

I've been slowly introducing him to my kitty, and he used to live with a dog savvy cat who would tell him off, so I think a dog savvy cat would be fine for him.

This is all very new to him, so he's still a bit anxious and will sometimes whine or pace, and is not sure what to do. I just remind him I'm there and he settles down. 90% of my foster dogs went through the exact same thing, so

I'm sure he'll settle soon just as they did :)

He's been very friendly to everyone and dog we've met so I'm sure he'll find his perfect child-free home :)

I'm still getting to know him over the next few days so I'll continue to update here to share all I'm learning about him :)

He is currently shaved down but his hair grows out to an adorable fluffiness! (Though he's adorable even now!) So I've added some old photos of how he usually looks with all his fluff :)

New event website!

2013-12-19T14:31:00.001-08:00

Hi All!

I've been working on a bit of a side project for TG and it is finally finished! Well - finished enough to show you! Ever the perfectionist, I don't think I will ever truly be 100% satisfied - there will always be something for me to make better, update, or change!

The website is designed to help you keep track of all the fundraising opportunities Turtle Gardens is a part of! That way you'll never miss out on any of the cool stuff we do! :D I am always adding more to the site so keep an eye out for updates!

Also, I want to make sure it is as easy to use as possible for everyone, so please comment here or on the website with any questions, concerns, ideas, or suggestions you may have and I will do my best!

Thank you all and hope everyone is having a very merry christmas! :D

http://turtlegardensevents.wordpress.com/

Davies/Shadow

2013-12-10T23:22:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone!

I know it has been a while since my last post!

My most recent foster pups have been doing well - Casanova, Mattie, and Chuck (now Jack)!

However, one was not doing so well... Davies unfortunately passed away :( I do not know too much about the whole situation but he was struck by a car and passed away :'( I miss him and I am so sad that his life was cut so short... but the one silver lining was that he knew real love. Both with Yvette and Stan up north, and then with Jen when he came to the lower mainland and then with me as his foster until he found his forever home on the island. And then his knew dad loved him too, very much, Davies may not have been there long, but he was definitely loved. His dad texted me the day after the adoption and told me he was changing Davies' name to Shadow.
When I found out I am not ashamed to say I broke into tears and ran to my dad and when he saw my face and heard me sputter out "-Davies-" his face dropped and he asked what happened, and even my dad who has been a rock for me for my whole life teared up when he heard that happy bouncy Davies wasn't with us anymore. I sat down with Casanova and just said "Casa... it's times like these I am happy you can't understand english..." and he just let me snuggle with him and cry it out, hopefully with no idea that his best buddy had passed. When these kinds of things happen it is very sad :'( But at least Davies is waiting at the rainbow bridge for the day he can walk across with his dad - with his muzzle scar gone and all happy and bouncy as he was.

RIP Davies
You will always be alive and well in our memories!

Adopted!

2013-10-18T00:53:00.001-07:00

That's right! Casanova has been adopted!

He is now a happy clam at home with his new dad! From what I hear he has been a good boy and has already been on many adventures such as car rides, his Dad's work, the dog park, and long walks!

I am very happy for Casa-Pants! He is such a deserving dog and I am so happy to see him find the home he has been waiting for :)
Thank you to Yvette, Stan, and everyone who made Casanova's journey to his forever home possible!

Be a good boy in your new home Casa! I'll miss you!!

Where is Casanova's family?

2013-09-22T21:15:00.001-07:00

Casanova is still a foster pup, just looking for his forever home!

We have heard there have been some issues with the email servers for a couple weeks, so if you sent in an application for Casanova (or any dog) and have not heard a reply, please send a quick follow up email to just check that it has been received, it should all be working fine now!

If you haven't yet sent in an application for Casanova and you have a kitty/kid free home, and are looking for a super affectionate, goofy best-friend, Casa would love to meet you! So please send in an application using the link in the sidebar!

Casanova and I had some fun this past week and a half! He played with my boyfriends dogs and had a blast! He's also been going to doggie daycare twice a week and he LOVES it!
We've been working on his obedience, and his sit is getting better (though sometimes he still decides standing and staring at you adoringly is about the same thing - right?;P), he has now started to shake a paw! That trick was slow going because we have all hardwood so he slips around sometimes and doesn't want to lift his paw, and blankets don't help as they slide too - but he's getting it now and is starting to offer up the behaviour! "out" and "off" are necessities as he's a puppy and he is doing very well! He is still jumping up when excited, but the behaviour is lessening, especially when you learn his signals and can nip it in the bud before he even starts! He can get a bit whiny from time to time, and can whine the first bit when left alone, but does quiet down after a couple minutes.

Casanova has been a good boy and so far hasn't touched stuff he isn't supposed to. He only plays with his toys and chews in the house. That is not to say he will never touch something he isn't supposed to - he's still very young (a puppy to many!) so he will need a couple reminders, and help learning - as any young (and sometimes even old) dogs do! But he has good foundations to start with and he is a smart boy!

Casanova is a lovely dog and I hope we find his home soon because this sweet guy deserves it! :)

Casanova is still looking for his forever home!

2013-09-10T09:59:00.003-07:00

Yikes! I hadn't realized it had been so long since my last post about Casanova and Davies! I guess time flies when you're having fun!

Well as you may have noticed, Davies has been adopted! He is now living in Victoria and being a good boy :) Can't wait for an update!

Casanova was quite sad when Davies left. We drove to a park near the ferry to do a meet and greet and adoption (if all went well - and it did!), and then we left without Davies. Once we got home he booked it to the backyard! I assume he figured Davies MUST be in there, so in we went, and he looked everywhere and.... nothing :( Then he proceeded to whine at the gates. Finally he came up to the porch and laid down just outside the door and stared at the gate. I felt bad for him missing his buddy, but knew he would soon stop being sad and move on - which he did by the next day.

So we spent some time together just me and him and he definitely seems to enjoy one-on-one time :)
He's been a very good boy! And it turns out Davies was the reason I got up so early everyday (he's an early riser), because Casanova lets me sleep in ;)

His sit is getting more consistent and we're working on a couple other tricks too. He is learning to fetch and loves lying down with an antler while we watch TV.

We have a nice little routine going and I can see that once a routine is in place he is a happy camper because he knows what to do and what's expected of him.

His jumping has improved too!

We went to the adoption event and had a blast! Casanova was a good boy and was TG's own booth greeter! He was happy to meet any child, adult or furry friend that came our way! He is such a sweetheart!

There was a blog post about it and you can view that HERE!

So Casanova is still looking for his forever home! Everyone who meets him loves him and wishes to take him home!

What Casa is looking for is:
-Someone who can give him 1-2hours of exercise a day
-Someone who will take him to obedience class so they can learn to work together to help him be the best dog he can be!
-A home with no cats or small children living there (he is fine with meeting small kids and is very gentle, but needs to be monitored as simply due to his sheer size he may accidentally bump or knock over a small child without meaning too)
-A home with either another dog buddy or is able to give him lots of socialization through Daycare, Dog Parks, or dog friends!
-And most of all Casanova is looking for Someone to love!

If you think that Someone is You, please click the link in the sidebar and send in an application!

Will post more soon!

The Island

2013-08-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

I mentioned a while back that I was away and that I was headed to Vancouver Island - Well I wanted to share some of my adventures with you all!

We always bring Rikki along because she loves it! Lots of dogs, people, and quality time with her humans! First we had to get there!

So we packed up the car and off we went! Rikki loves car rides!

But she wasn't a huge fan of how much stuff we brought!

She really liked the ferry too and loved feeling the cooling wind through her ears!

Once on the island she help us set up tents!

Okay so maybe "help" is an overstatement...

The rest of the time her days consisted of.....

Waking up in the morning to play fetch!

Napping

Watching the Sunset

And being cute!

She also went swimming for the first time! It was the weirdest thing, we've been trying for two years to get her to swim to no avail. Then suddenly this year I just tossed the toy out and she started swimming! We were SO EXCITED! Now we can take her to beaches on the mainland more often now that we know she'll actually swim! Here is the video we took of her first swim! (unfortunately I never got a video of her swimming after that - all off leash- as my phone stopped working for some reason) But hope you enjoy watching her first swim! :)

We also saw the RCMP Musical Ride, and it was really neat! Having ridden for 6 years I know how hard it can be to even do a small portion of show never mind the whole thing! And a few horses were being a little hot-headed during the show which was pretty funny - it really shows that these horses are not "push-button" guys and that it takes lots of work to keep them under control and listening during the performance when they have to get SO CLOSE to the other horses etc.

The reason we go to the Island every year is for our family Reunion! Family comes from all over to congregate at the "Family Farm" to camp, eat, swim, talk and just enjoy being a family! I've been there every year since I was born - I haven't missed a single one! And I love that kind of tradition! Theres usually up to 100 people and 20 or so dogs, and everyone has a blast!

Here are some pictures of the Farm! It is right on the water and we often fish and crab-trab, and our Uncle even takes us out on his boat to some of the smaller islands!

And last but not least one of my favorite parts about the island this year....

I got to see Izzy and her family! :D

You may remember my foster pup Chika (Now Izzy), who ended up having her hips not develop the way they should have and she had hip dysplasia and needed surgery! Well we helped raise enough money for one hip, and it's looking so good the vets think it's possible she may not need the other hip done!

I was so happy to meet Troy, Sarah, Lily and dear Izzy again! It is so great to see her running around and playing with the other dogs not a worry in the world :) Here are some photos from that day! Look how big she is! :D

And I brought along a special treat for Rikki and Izzy to share! Bowser Beer! :D

Well that was my trip to the island! I had some great adventures, and Rikki did too! And I can't wait till next year! :D

Dog days

2013-08-21T15:25:00.001-07:00

Well summer is slowly on its way out and it's no longer the blistering heat we've been having a bit of, but instead just the "regular" summer heat, it's not too hot inside for the pups but they like to be outside hanging out :)

These dogs are both such loves! They both think they are 20lb lap dogs - LOL!

And Casa LOVES having his face smooshed and petted and will happily sit there for hours gazing up at you lovingly while he just soaks up the attention!

And Davies, not to be outdone, loves scratches behind the ears and between the shoulder blades, where its harder to scratch through his thick fur. And of course they both love bum scratches :)

They've been loving antlers and they are both great at sharing! Even if they both want the same one, they take turns!

Same thing when they're playing they take turns being the chaser and chasee!

They've been good boys and are eagerly awaiting homes of their own!

Casa Also has a funny quirk where he Howls when he hears sirens! It's adorable! He is very easy to stop otherwise I might not find it so darn cute! But here have a listen for yourself! :)

I'm Back! (And new fosters!)

2013-08-15T20:37:00.001-07:00

Well I don't even know where to begin with my blog posts! I have so much to fill everyone in on! The trip to the island, my new craft projects, and of course my new foster dogs are just a few!!

Of course I think ill start with the most important - My Foster Pups!

That's right - plural! I have two lovely buddies with me :)

Casanova and Davies!

They were both with the prison program for 2 months where they received awesome training and socialization! They are both awesome dogs! And they are definitely good buddies and get along extremely well so I am super excited to have two TG doggies here! Love to help as many as I can!

Now onto the dogs...

Davies is a 1.5yo karelian bear dog x border collie and it shows! In looks and smarts! He is a sensitive dog but very smart so he catches on to what he is asking very quickly so it's not often he needs to be asked more than once for something. For example he is very food motivated, and when he and Casanova are having a meal he finished much faster. But Casanova is more concerned about what I'm doing than the food so will walk away from his bowl to come see me. So of course Davies tries to sneak a bite of Casanova's food - and from across the room I just said "Ah, Ah!" And Davies stopped, looked at me, and them went back to his own bowl. From across the room a food motivated dog can be told not to eat the other bowl of food?? If that doesn't show his smarts I don't know what will!! He had a rough start to life so is enjoying a puppyhood he never had! Sometimes he can get a bit excited when I wake up, or come home and may try to jump up, but he mostly jumps, as in not so much on people as just standing on his hind legs like he's hopping/jumping but he doesn't usually put his paws on people but due to the jumping possibility it's probably best he goes to a home without small children. He is a wonderful pup! He does not have separation anxiety but would love to come with you wherever you go! He rides well in the car and walks very well on leash!

Casanova is a 1yo Rottie cross. Maybe shepherd, maybe lab - we don't know 100% but he is a sweetie all the same! Like his namesake he is a love! :) He is a big puppy who just wants bum scratches and cuddles all day long! He can get a bit excited at times and try to jump up, but is learning that the faster he calms down the faster he gets what he wants... Cuddles! :) But due to the jumping possibility it's probably best he goes to a home without small children. He is a big pup who I don't think realizes he's not a 20lb dog haha - he would love to sit in your lap if you'd let him (though I don't recommend that as he's an 80lb dog!), haha! He rides well in the car except he will sometimes try to put his paws over the window edge or come into the front seat, so a seatbelt would be great for him - because he is not anxious about car rides, he loves them! He just could potentially be distracting if he is not secured. He walks very well on leash! He also has this funny habit of rubbing against bushes! He just loves to rub against them on morning walks hagan as you can see in the picture of him on leash he has bits of the bush along his back haha!

If you have any questions about the dogs please leave a comment!

I will post more soon along with pictures! :)

Mattie Update and House Guest

2013-07-25T00:15:00.001-07:00

Mattie has been doing just fantastic in her new home! I couldn't be happier for Maddelicious :)

You can read her updates on the TG blog HERE and HERE !

I have also had a house guest the last two weeks! He is a Boston Terrier named Spot! :)

He is a super funny guy - full of personality and character! As many squished-nosed dogs do, he makes tons of noises that are bound to make you crack up every once in a while :P

He snorts, grunts, and mini-barks his way into your heart :P

He is just with me until his family return from a vay-cay and we'll miss the little guy around here - but he will be thrilled to see his family again! :)

Here are some pics! :)

This one is totally my fav! ;)

I just thought I'd share this quick update!

I have so much happening in the next couple weeks, from helping with an upcomming TG event, going camping on the island and the family reunion on the island - at which time I will be stopping by to visit a few familiar furry faces ;), a dog event tomorrow evening, a dog event on the weekend, a work bbq, and work itself!, I also just finished a few DIY projects, as well as I will be starting and finishing another.... all before wednesday :P That is a week in my life - during the SUMMER! Can you imagine what it's like during the school year :P

But needless to say I will be posting some of my doggy DIY projects soon! as well as updates on my adventures! Can't wait to get another pup once Im back! I'm also planning on fostering kitties as well! (Though I usually foster kitties during the school year, VOKRA needs all the help they can get right now!)

Speaking of fostering Turtle Gardens is always in need of foster homes and with so many people on vacation or taking breaks we really need some more help! If you are located in BC and able to foster please contact turtlegardens@gmail.com

Will post more soon! :)

Mattie went home

2013-07-14T10:53:00.001-07:00

Mattie went to her new home this weekend and I miss her! But she is going to a wonderful home where she will have a cat and doggy sibling and 3 humans to love her! So I'm very happy for her!

This is her with her new mommy!

Chuck (now Jack) also came over that morning for a little visit and he and Mattie were having a blast :)

Also I went up to the Ruff Stuff dog services 10th anniversary and it was super fun!! Here's the blog post! :)

http://www.turtlegardens.org/blog/?p=40467

Have fun in your new home Mattie girl! May it be filled with the love and cuddles you deserve! :)

Mattie and Friends

2013-07-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

Mattie has been doing well and has had some adventures!

First, she had a buddy for a couple days – Obi! You might have seen him on the Turtle Gardens Petfinder page and on Emily’s blog. He stayed with me for two days until he went on his way to Emily’s

He was a joy to have here and he is a super smart little guy and I hope whoever adopts him considers doing agility training or some kind of dog sport with him as I know he’d excel at that!

Mattie and Obi got along so well! He actually got Mattie to play! (Usually she is not interested in playing with other dogs)

After he left she was quite mopey, and for the rest of the day she just slept next to his crate. She obviously missed having a fur-buddy around!

Then she had a homecheck with an applicant, and it went well. They also have a dog very much like Mattie and they got along well, mattie was even sad when they left too. I think she’d love to have a home with another dog friend.

We also took her around town with us this week. To Tisol (everyone loved her) and we weighed her at 84.5lbs, and we went to agility too. No, SHE didn’t do the agility part (haha!) that was Rikki! But she had fun riding in the car and hanging out with all the people :) And when she got home she was so pooped she passed out for the night! All that love must have tuckered her out ;P

Since the majority of her bio is in the other post I thought I’d just add a small Likes and Dislikes list on what I learnt this week :)

LIKES	DISLIKES
Pigs Ears	Sweet Potatoe
Hardwood floors	Vacuums
Sticking her head out of the window	Hot days

More soon!

New Arrival!

2013-07-04T08:49:00.001-07:00

Well it’s been a few days since my last post!

First off I just want to let you guys know that Turtle Gardens has an Instagram page! So you can follow @turtlegardens for pictures and updates on their dogs!

I also have my own personal Instagram as well which you can follow @julia_muttlvr for updates on my own foster dogs and cats :)

And as you probably guessed, I am back in Vancouver! :)

I went from hot, humid, weather back to our wet, rainy one – at least for a day! Then where the heck did all this heat come from! I must have brought it with me from Toronto! – You’re welcome ;)

I was so excited to foster when I got back and Denise and I had been sending e-mails back and forth regarding which dog I was going to get – it seemed to change almost every other day haha! Which I didn’t mind because it was because the other dogs were getting adopted! But then the dog run was cancelled :( But luckily they managed to find someone who would be able to drive a couple dogs down, so they brought a couple puppies and one “border collie mix” for me! :D Yay!

Here I am expecting a 50lb dog – but they tell me shes a 70lb border collie mix and is under weight – she should be 100lbs they said. I didn’t really think about it at first… which explains why my jaw dropped when I saw her!....

Meet Mattie! My Border Collie Mix foster dog! :D She makes the term “Gentle Giant” seem like an understatement! We are constantly told by everyone she meets that they haven't met a more mellow dog! And neither have I!

She is a 1.5-2year old Border Collie cross something big - Yvette's educated guess is Great Pyranees!

She is about 80lbs now and needs to be about 100lbs so we're in the process of getting her weight back up.

She has not misbehaved in the house and is very sweet! She loves being pet though and will often lean a bit into your legs to remind you to pet her and if you still forget out comes her big paw to paw at you to keep petting her! She does it fairly gently, but she would probably be best suited to a home who does not have super young children, and she may paw and if the child is small she may accidentally scratch them etc without meaning too. But as I said, she is quite gentle so children in grade school should be fine.

She has a beautiful soft long black coat but it does require a fair amount of brushing (especially in this heat as she's shedding her winter coat) to keep her from shedding too much. She loves to smile with a big open mouth grin and loves to look at you with happy brown eyes!

She is a big suck and just likes being where the people are! But she is not clingy - just likes to be with her people. if it's hot in the room I'm in or she's sleepy, she'll go lay down somewhere like the hallway and take a nap. Or if I leave the back door open she goes outside and finds a nice cool spot to nap. She'll easily stay there for hours.

She's a low maintenance girl- she wants to be a companion for sure!

She has a lower energy level as far as I've seen, and is happy with walks during the day but due to the heat they are kept brief and she doesn't mind, she's just happy to be doing whatever I am.

She is not an excitable girl, she will walk calmly over to you when you come home and will give a few nice happy tail wags, but not overly excited. Same thing with dogs and cats - interested but not excited. And when meeting new people she is polite and friendly. She does not jump up - but does sit and paw sometimes if she wants more pets.

She is very quiet too - I have not heard a peep from her Even when left alone. No barking, or whining at all. When the door is knocked or even when strangers come into the back yard she just goes up for a quiet, calm hello. She is not scared of strangers and will say hello to anyone, she just wants pets - she's a very friendly girl :)

She ignores cats for the most part, aside from a curious sniff every once in a while - so she'd be fine with a dog savy cat.

She's good with dogs too, does not get excited, and sniffs their bum, does not focus much on their face, and is very calm with her approach. She does not appreciate rude dogs though (but who does?).

Overall she is a very mellow, loving girl who just wants to be your companion :)

I can't wait to get to know her even more over the next few weeks :)

She had some mats in her coat and lots of shed hair stuck under her regular coat and we knew we had to give her a great grooming - so we gave her a "Spa Day"! We brushed her for over 2 hours and got a pile of hair off even bigger than you'll see in her pictures! That was us only 2/3 done! We also gave her two baths! One just to clean her up and make her coat feel better, and one to make her smell like mangoes ;P

BEFORE

She loves brushing

Look at all that hair!

Bath time!

Mid-Shake

Happy Girl!

AFTER!

Mattie with Butterscotch (Golden), Jasper (Tan), Angel (Grey) she was so good with them :)

Mattie poses for a shot with Angel

Rikki and Mattie hanging out sniffing :)

Look how big she is! :D

Her sleeping spot

Happy Puppy!

Her favourite spot when it's hot out!

Short and Sweet

2013-06-20T14:05:00.001-07:00

Or quick and dirty - however you'd like to see it! Sorry there haven't been many posts lately I've been a busy bee as usual! Right now I'm in Toronto for a National competition! It's very exciting and I'm staying here for a week to see the sights and hang with friends :)

Where is Chuck while I'm here you may ask? Well! He went home to an awesome family before I left :)

He had 3 fantastic applicants but there is only one Chuck-A-Duck! So I had to make a hard decision and pick one, but it really wasn't me doing most of the picking it was actually Chuck! He really bonded with his new parents at their meet and greet, and I could almost hear an audible *click* when they were together :) His new name is Jack!

The pick up was funny though! He doesn't usually rush out the door when I open it, he just runs up to the people and starts wiggling for attention! But I didn't see the person unloading the lawn mower next door! But chuck did! So he ran out the door as they were coming in to take him home and he barks at the lawn mower! I ran out and called him back (his recall is very good) but he decided to ignore me, so I went up to him and then he decided he better listen so he ran back up the steps to the house, but as I come over to get him inside he takes off again! This time he knows I'm serious, but he wasn't coming back and that is very odd for him! But then I see him just run to where he usually poops and squat so I ran in and grabbed a bag. And then he walked nicely with me back to the house past the lawn mower like nothing happened lol little brat knew he had to give me a run on his last day here after he'd been so good the rest of the time! Lol! He's got personality and makes you giggle that's for sure! :)

His new parents love him and were laughing right along with me! :) he's going to love it there and I can't wait for an update :)

As for what's next... The next dog run is scheduled for the 29th, and ill be taking another pup! So far I don't know who I'm getting! My only requirements are that they're fully housebroken (as I sometimes have 8hour work shifts) so this usually means over 1 year old, and that they are good with other dogs. My dads only requirement is that they are not destructive (his smartphone and blinds found the wrong end of that). But as far as I know that's at least 50%-75% of the dogs on this next run! (The others are younger dogs) so I'm very excited because I have no idea who I'm getting :D!

I will update you guys when I know more! :)

Hashtag CuteDogProblems

2013-06-08T19:46:00.004-07:00

Now reading the title you may think that I mean problems with Chuck - nope! I mean problems BECAUSE of Chuck! Let me explain...

I usually get dogs that need a little work or guidance or a dog that may take a bit of time to find their perfect home! So because I am going to Toronto in a week I knew that I'd need more of a "quick" foster if possible, so they would likely find their home before I left so I wouldn't end up playing musical dogs and trying to find someone to watch him. But while this is playing out as planned, there were things I didn't count on...

All my other dogs mostly had one application at a time. And it would either be a fit or not. If not we'd keep going until the next one and try again. I've never had a scenario where multiple GOOD applications came in at the same time! And by good I mean good for this particular foster (as some might still be a good applicant for another dog even if not for mine).

Chuck received 3 applicants in a day and a half! And all are great! I talked to all on the phone and still couldn't narrow it down so to meet and greets it went! I have finished all the meet and greets and will have to decide which home will fit him best. I know he would do well in all three homes, but which home/lifestyle would he enjoy the most and thrive in is the question.

Sometimes I wish I could clone them but that would just satisfy me worrying about disappointing the two homes that aren't picked, when there are two awesome dogs out there waiting for those two other homes! So I wouldn't be very nice denying those other dogs a home.

All three homes are great and but are slightly different. So it will be very hard to chose, though I feel my gut pulling towards one applicant in particular, but it's too soon to tell.

In the meantime though I have been having lots of fun with my Chuckie in the meantime :)

Chuck and my dog Rikki

Rikki and Chuck really like each other because Chuck isn't interested in playing with dogs and Rikki is constantly bugged to play by Cash (TG Alum "Hawkeye") so she enjoys the break that Chuck provides. They hit it off right away!

Chuck also hit it off with Rikki's kitty friend "Baby"

He tries to snuggle as close as possible! Huge bed hog :P

I will repeat ...Bed hog! (But a darn cute one ;P)

Chuck, Chuck, Chuck...Bee?

2013-06-03T22:19:00.002-07:00

I'm back! Well... I suppose I never really left the TG foster world, but I took a break during the school year, but now that that school year is over it's time for more foster dog adventures! :)

And though I didn't have a full time foster dog these past few months I kept myself busy with other dog related fun!

As you probably know I do agility with my pup, Rikki, who just turned two in May! :) She loves it and the good treats she gets for doing it ;) but she particularly loves the doggy playtime at the end of class! Her best friend is a standard poodle named Rachel! Rachel will usually be off leash first and come over to Rikki where Rachel "play-bow's" right in front just waiting for us to let Rikki off too - and when we do they go off galavanting with each other!

Also, I have had some boarding doggies here while their parents were away! And I thought I'd share some of the cute photos I took while they were here :)

This is Eshe (pronouned Esh-ah)

And this is my aunts golden retriever, Butterscotch (aka Butters) - he came over for a play date! :)

I also watched over the pups at Denise's daycare while she was away for a couple days! (TG's Sula -now adopted- is in this pic too!)

This is Pasa!

And this brings me to my final pic of my boarders - Pasa was here for a few days after I picked up my newest foster pup, and I think they got along well, but you be the judge.... ;)

Yup - that little guy is my new foster dog, Chuck!

Bringing Chuck home

Chuck is a little under the weather

The first few days he was at my house he was not feeling great :( He was lethargic to the point that you had to attach his leash just to get him up, wouldn't eat or drink and was vomiting :( We thought it could just be the stress, but he was so skinny as it was and we needed to make sure it wasn't something more serious, especially with the vomiting. So off to the vet he went. Dr.Harry said he was quite dehydrated and needed to stay over night for fluids, so he did and they ran a blood test and checked for worms etc. The tests were coming back fine but they ended up needing to keep him there on fluids another night just to be sure. I worried about my little guy :( So then he finally came back home and he came back to me a much happier pup! He was very happy to see us and started eating and drinking and even wanting to play a bit!

Back home!

That is why it took me so long to write this blog post - because I wanted to have some time to get to know his true personality!

Yup, I'm a cutie!

Chuck is a terrier mix - we really have no idea what's in there... he kinda looks like a taller longer chihuahua? Sometimes I see some Border Terrier, sometimes I see some pug, sometimes chihuahua - but who knows! He is just an adorable pup! I'm sure you could see in the pics that he is quite skinny. He's 11lbs now but we're helping him gain weight, so he should be around 14lbs or so, which is a great size! He is about 1 year old and is totally house trained. He is set to be fixed tomorrow, but he hasn't marked anything in the house, even with another dog here. And outdoors he rarely marks anything.

Cuddles

He has great leash skills and stays at your side or behind your leg. Occasionally he might prance ahead a little but with little to no pressure on the leash he will step right back in next to you. He does sometimes jump up when excited but is learning to sit before being petted.

There were kittens at the vet and Chuck wasn't too interested in them, it was more of an "Oh, cats, hmm, neat...where's my people?" than "Omg,omg,omg! CATS!!!" lol - so I think he would do fine with dog savvy- kitties. He also gets along with dogs, but as with many dogs he likes polite greetings. If a dog rushes him too quickly he will move away and tell them he doesn't like that. But once the dog calms down Chuck will walk up and say hi. He hasn't shown much interest in playing with other dogs though, but enjoys their company. But he LOVES people, so I think he would love a place where he had people home most of the day. He is crate trained and is okay being left alone, but he definitely is a dog that loves lots of time with his people.

He is happy going out on walks and playing in the yard, but is just as happy to cuddle on the couch or chew on an antler while you work at the computer. I'd say he's a low energy dog in the house, and a medium energy dog outside. He doesn't play with toys much in the house, but enjoys antlers and kongs. Outside he loves to play fetch and play with squeaky toys!

Throw Da Ball Pweeze!

Proud Chuck

As we believe he was fed a lot of people food in his life, so he can be picky when it comes to dog food. He so far he's not a fan of kibble, but likes dehydrated raw! And he LOVES chicken!

He is just a super sweet "shadow" dog. We always joke that he sticks so close that we turn around and still don't see him because he turned with you so is behind you again hehe!

He is going to be a great companion for a lucky family :)

What I wake up to in the morning

And for giggles I have another story ...

I knew I would be fostering Chuck, and he is my first "small" I've ever fostered! And since I knew Hats off Day was coming up I thought this would be a fun opportunity to use some of the fun doggy clothes that get donated to the rescue! :)

Now don't get me wrong, I don't think that dressing your dogs up everyday is a good idea. It can be hard on a dogs health as they can overheat etc, and body language that the dog is projecting may be misinterpreted by other people and dogs because its being covered by clothes - among other things. But I think that dressing up is fun for people on occasion, and I think that on occasion it can be fun to dress up the pup too! And as long as you take into consideration the heat and the dogs' comfort it can be a good time :) Also, it helps get them noticed while walking around - which can be an asset when your dog is for adoption!

So anywho, Denise gave me an adorable costume for Chuck to wear at the Hats off Day parade and festival - and he got lots of attention! Everyone commented on how cute and sweet he was ;) He was very well behaved considering there were crowds of people and dogs and noises - and he got lots of treats from dog suppliers there :)

Also, I recently started an Instagram page for Turtle Gardens! So please follow us @turtlegardens for lots of adorable pics and updates! :)

More soon!