Photo update Wednesday

SOMEone's doing well in her new home!

 

Photos: Rose DiFerdinando

Fostering with WHS

I wrote a little postie about my fostering experience for the Washington Humane Society to put on its blog. Thought you'd like to see it!

One Foster Volunteer's Experience

By Kirsten Stade, WHS Volunteer

My boyfriend Florian and I have been fostering dogs in the DC area since early 2008, first with several rescue groups and now with the Washington Humane Society (WHS).  These four years have contained their share of urine-stained furniture; shredded electronics, upholstery, and a passport; uprooted landscaping; and seemingly futile efforts at peacekeeping in a household with what some would say is too many critters under one roof. But above the sometimes deafening chaos, I have never questioned what I believe is a defining truth: fostering animals is the most important thing I can do in this lifetime.

I began fostering with WHS after volunteering there, being so impressed with the warm, caring, appreciative, and fun spirit I encountered among the staff. As I learned about the shelter's programs for enrichment and positive, reward-based training of the animals in its care, I realized how great it would be to foster one of these dogs, who had so much "value-added" from all the efforts of volunteers and the training programs that teach them the skills they need to succeed in the world.

My first WHS foster dog was Sandy. For several months I had had "only" two dogs—my two impulsive, reactive, loud, energetic “foster failures” (meaning I adopted them!) Fozzie and Lamar, who are more than enough to keep me busy. I must have been feeling vulnerable though when I received an email about a 10-month-old red pit bull type pup whose cage mate had gone to rescue, leaving her lonely and stressed out at WHS's New York Avenue adoption center. I arranged to pick her up the next day.

Sandy was a raging little fireball of energy, careening through the house in the evenings and flying through the air to land on the couch, or on our laptops, or on our heads. There were certainly those moments in which I beseeched the Universe—and my friends, family members, and colleagues—to send me a really good adopter, really soon.

And then there were moments in which I held her and she made those little snorting noises she made when she gave kisses, when I wanted time to stop so I could lie with her, just like that, forever. My connection with Sandy was on a spiritual level; I felt I had a kinship with her. There was something about her little, innocent baby face and the gratitude and need for affection that came pouring out of her, that made me feel this was a connection I couldn't let go of. 

Then Lamar would growl, Fozzie would bark, or Sandy would start squirming and chewing again, and I remembered the wisdom of keeping that revolving door of foster dogs going. After five months Sandy met an adopter who could not have been more perfect for her. She lives in Baltimore and goes for long walks greeting everyone in the neighborhood with her dad, whose experience of adopting her was so positive that he now has a foster dog as well, in addition to Sandy.

Once again we were down to two dogs, and thinking we'd take another break from the kind of sustained intensity that Sandy had brought. But resolutions like that are made to be broken, and one day after volunteering we couldn't exactly say no to Collette, a 6-month-old blond lab mix pup.

Collette was calm in the house, loved other dogs, loved people, was affectionate but not pushy, good in her crate, and easily amused by tennis balls. In short, the kind of dog you wouldn't mind having around for a while. Lots of other people had the same idea about her though, and it was just a few short weeks before she was adopted, by a wonderful woman who works from home and takes her for runs along the beach and play sessions with her mom's friendly dogs.

The take-home lesson from Collette is that fostering doesn't have to entail a major upheaval to one's home and life. Truly there is a foster situation for everyone: long-term fosters who become foster failures, short-term or temporary fosters, calm older fosters, loving puppy and kitten fosters—all are getting a break from the shelter and freeing up valuable space, so that lives are saved.

We're down to two dogs again, thinking we’ll maybe take a bit of a break so Fozzie and Lamar, pictured below, can relax. We’ll see how long that lasts!

To learn more about the WHS foster program, visit www.washhumane.org/foster.

A day at the beach

Although, as you are all aware, we generally don't shy away from the challenge of bringing whichever crew of maladjusted, high-maintenance canines we have along on weekend adventures, every once in a while we just need the indulgence of a day with an easy dog.

So while we have her, we decided to go to the beach with just Collette. 

The thought of managing Lamar and Fozzie, challenging under any circumstances, on a beach with their cousin Genghis--whom they despise--was just too much to bear. 

But the couple of times we've had them together, Collette and Genghis--my sister's Akita--have had great chemistry. 

Yesterday was no different.  

My little tiny whippet-like "lab" shelter pup is not the least bit afraid of big, burly, rough-and-tumble Genghis. 

The huge, strong, fuzzy Genghis, who sends the musclebound Fozzie and the mighty Anatolian Lamar into fits of paranoid anxiety, is just a great big boy toy to my scrawny little foster pup. 

With perfect weather and a dog-friendly beach, not too crowded, it was great to let them enjoy some romping in the sand and water. 

If I'm really honest with myself, I'll admit that this was the first trip we've taken in a while on which I was really able to relax. 


With my sister, my niece, Florian the benevolent paterfamilias and his son, and just two dogs who got along and didn't run away, or lunge at other dogs, or make much of a fuss, I could just space out and enjoy the sun and the water.






I think I'd forgotten what that was like!


 
After a few hours, I was not the only one spacing out. Genghis was glad we brought that beach umbrella just for him. 













My sister is bummed that Collette is going back with her adoptive mom. 


I agree that it is wonderful to have an easy dog, and wonderful for Genghis and my little squirt to play so well. 

But I also know that the next foster dog will have something unique and beautiful about him or her, and the one after that too and the one after that, until we meet another one that for whatever reason ends up staying with us. 


Collette has a wonderful and loving home to go to, and our job is to take the ones who are not so easy and give them a chance. As relaxing as it is to take a little break, we know our mission won't be accomplished until we've rescued more. 

Sleepy Creek Lake

We were unexpectedly reunited with Collette last week, when her adopter had to go out of town and asked us to watch her. Which was not a problem, as it seemed only right that she get to go on at least one camping trip with us.

We took off Saturday morning with me, as usual, in the dark about our destination. I had the chance to wrangle all 3 dogs for a remarkably peaceful walk along a trail in suburban Fairfax while Florian taught a private ballet lesson--during which we saw two deer, two Great Danes, and Fozzie stayed fairly calm on both occasions--and then we were off to Florian's camping land of mystery. 

We had discussed going someplace remote where we could relax a bit even with the three dogs, so I was a bit surprised when we came upon the familiar scenes of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. 

A sweet little town of herb shops, New Age trinket stores, and of course the renowned hot springs, which you can enjoy through one of the spas of through the public site in the park in the center of town. 

In the 90 degree heat we had to be a bit creative about how to check out the attractions; fortunately, most of the businesses are dog-friendly. The dogs were able to help Florian pick out a tie-dyed T-shirt, and then we cooled off those fevered paws in the cool stream running right through town. I waded in myself, but not too deep as there are huge crayfish in there and they've given me the heebie-jeebies ever since my big brothers threatened to throw them down my back when I was a kid. 

What I always forget about Berkeley Springs is how close it is to the Potomac and some amazing hiking and camping places.  

Just a couple of miles out of town we found an access point to the river and to the C & O canal. The dogs took no time at all to get into the water

  













And Florian was not far behind.

Collette just loves her sticks, and she loves chasing Fozzie around in the water, harassing him, and paddling around.

As far as I know she learned to swim just a few weeks ago--when we took her on another little trail in Virginia--and like most dogs learning to swim she is not what you  would call graceful.

She does the most ridiculous thing where the front half of her body rears up out of the water and her paws paddle up and down furiously, creating an enormous splash, while her face gets an incredibly serious look of concentration. 

 But then, I guess all dogs look kind of ridiculous when they swim.

After cooling off we took a nice stroll along the empty, always beautiful and slightly spooky C & O Canal trail, and then set off to find ourselves some tasty food to share with the dogs before heading off to Sleepy Creek Lake. 









It's the closest place we've found to camp near Berkeley Springs, accessible through a winding drive through the Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area...State Department of Natural Resources-speak for a place you need to watch your ass during hunting season.

Fortunately, we encountered only benign presences along the road 

and awakened to a foggy morning on the lake complete with the deafening sounds of bullfrogs, spring peepers, and water birds. Fozzie stayed on his leash until the geese were safe in the center of the lake, and Collette stared out in wonder.

Thanks for the fun trip, everyone! Collette, I hope your mom comes home soon so I don't get too much more attached to you.

Collette goes home

Well after just a few short weeks with us, Collette has gone on to her forever home!

I expected she'd go fast--she's a 6-month-old lab, for God's sake--but what I didn't know was that she'd find such an awesome adopter.

Rose works from home and wants a cuddly companion to be near her all day. She is looking forward to taking Collette for daily runs and photography sessions along the beach, and play sessions with her mom's super friendly dogs. 









She's already bought out the pet store with all sorts of toys and treats and a perfect little purple harness, and signed up for positive training classes so Collette can hit the ground running in her new home. 

How does THAT sound, my tiny friend?

The Washington Humane Society made it easy for Collette to go home with her new mom, which is the right approach for an open intake shelter--although its a bit of a shock that just a few days after I first heard from Rose, Collette is already gone!


We hardly had a chance to get attached to her, though we did have time to love her up, 
 















 


get her wet, 












 

take her hiking, 













give her some really high-quality food, 

and expose her to some good music.
















Have fun Collette! You'll have to write and tell us about all your amazing adventures.

Compost chowhound

Is that really comfortable?

Flower dogs

After 4 1/2 years in my house, finally my front yard is starting to take shape.

Every year I've planted a few new bushes, and I guess it takes a few years for them to really reach their potential.  

The yard is still no stop on the Takoma Park home and garden tour, but at least its not the tattered wasteland of bare ground, weeds, and shredded plastic flower pots that it was when Lars and Fozzie were tearing around it. 

Collette is an energetic little person, but she and Fozzie don't get into wild playing together the way Lars or Sandy did with Fozzie. 






 

Two dogs who really have a good chemistry together are fun to watch, no question about it. 



 







But its also kind of nice not to spend every moment they're outside together cringing as my pretty plants get smashed into the ground. 

And to actually have a relatively healthy rose bush, with roses that are  fragrant and somewhat abundant, makes me feel pretty darn accomplished. 








 


For some reason, Fozzie and Collette just seem to get along OK without having any particular feeling about each other.

Collette tries to engage, but Fozzie's just not that into it. 












I'm proud of Fozzie. 

For such an impulsive dog, he's pretty nice about how he lets a pesky youngster know he wants to be left alone. 

Is it just that he's out of that blush of youth that fostered such an intense bromance between him and Lars? 




 






Is it just that Collette's not as insistent as Sandy was, so its easier for Fozzie to resist getting pulled into a game of tug or chase?






 
 












I'm not complaining. I love my dogs but I also love my flowers. 










And I especially love days where I can enjoy them both together. 
























I hope your week is full of sunshine and flowers, and that all the beauty in the world fortifies you to fight even harder to preserve what's left of it!