Resq TailsThe trials and triumphs of rescued dogs

Well, another year has come and is nearly gone already. I don’t know where the time goes anymore! It’s been a year full of great accomplishments, a big loss, some continuing struggles and new beginnings. Wow, we really crammed alot into a year! LOL

Zoe earned her MACH, to become the first Sheltie in Utah to have that title. She also qualified to go to the AKC National Agility Championship in North Carolina in March, and we’re really looking forward to that trip!

Twist tried his paw at regular obedience this year, and in his first Novice Obedience class, took first place and earned the High in Trial at the Utah Sheltie Specialty! Woohoo, Twist. He went on to finish his CD in September. Now we’re working on moving into Open Obedience!

Raven took a break from competing in agility for most of the year, but she did try Rally Obedience at the Utah Sheltie Specialty, and she qualified first time out. She’s entered in an agility trial in Jan., so we’ll see if the break from competition and the training we’ve been doing have paid off. In the meantime, she says that she doesn’t mind just chilling out and chewing on a bully stick.

2008 was a great year for Penny! She got to try out for a tv commercial, and even though she wasn’t chosen, we had a great time! Of course, now she thinks she’s a star and we’re just staff that here to serve her. LOL

We said goodbye to Jessie this past August. It was an unexpected loss, and she is greatly missed!

Our attempts to help Rogue overcome, or at least manage more successfully her anxiety issues…continue. The last year has allowed us to meet some wonderful people. I feel really grateful to have found such great support and guidance as we work with Rogue. We hope that 2009 brings more progress for Rogue.

As for Lucy, she’s enjoyed another year of being Lucy. There’s really not much more you can say. To Lucy it’s not the end of one year or the beginning of another…it’s just a wonderful day to be alive!!!

Lastly, I guess it’s time to admit that the little foster girl, (formally known as Lucy), has found her permanent home, with us. I knew there was a reason we hadn’t done any fostering for several years! LOL For obvious reasons, we’ve changed her name. My husband got to re-name her, and he’s chosen “Layla”. I looked up the meaning of the name and it’s “dark beauty”, so I guess he did a pretty good job, for just pulling a name out of the air…he doesn’t overanalyze naming like I do. Hehe. I don’t know that I’d describe her as a beauty just yet, more of a cutie at this point, but I’m sure she’ll grow into the name.

So, I guess that about sums it up!

We have some of the more portable equipment in the house right now because the weather isn’t letting us do much agility outside. The baby apparently thinks that the tunnel is dual purpose and that it makes a pretty comfy bed. LOL

O.K. I know, I know, I don’t post much about Lucy. That’s partly because she’s not my dog. She’s my husband’s dog and she doesn’t care a lick about anything that I say or do. She’s not interested in training and she can’t figure out why everyone else likes it so much. She’s happy just being Lucy, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s been that way for 10 years now. One thing she is really good at is being cute, so here’s another picture of her relaxing around the house.

Has anyone else ever noticed that Lucy is always sticking her tongue out at me? I know I’m not making this up, I’ve gone back through the old pictures and it’s true. My husband’s dog, Lucy is always making faces at me.

Well, she wasn’t so sure about the cold weather and the funny stuff on the ground at first, but it didn’t take long before the little foster pup was enjoying the fresh snow!

I hate winter, but I love to take pictures of the dogs playing in the snow. Here’s some from Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy!

We finally got snow today. Not that I want snow, I hate winter, but I know we need the moisture. Anyway, before it started snowing today it was the most miserable windy morning, so we decided to stay inside and play where it was warm.

I thought it would be fun to play a game that our friends over at A Dog’s Journey had posted about a while back. I don’t remember what she called the game, but she did a fun video of her dogs playing it and you can find the link to the video at her site: http://adogsjourney.blogspot.com/

It’s pretty simple, you just need a muffin tin, some tennis balls and treats, and you’re ready to play. My dogs have played a few times before, but when we first played the game, I put treats in each of the muffin holes and put the tennis balls on top.

After they’d played a few times, I only put treats in selective muffin holes, and let them dogs use their wonderful sense of smell to find the right ones. It’s fun and easy to play and gives the dogs something to do on a stormy day. Here’s some pictures of the dogs playing…

This is Rogue, patiently waiting till I tell her she can start. Isn’t she a good girl?

Everyone got to play…

Even the foster baby! She is such a smart little girl, figures new things out in no time!!!

She couldn’t figure out why I had to keep taking pictures though…that wasn’t helping her find the treats any faster. LOL

I didn’t want to post till I actually had the entry in, but Zoe qualified for the AKC National Agility Championships this year! I’m really proud of her, I’ve been so fortunate to have her as my first agility dog.

This year the Nationals are being held in North Carolina at the end of March. Yes, I know…it’s an absurdly long way to drive from Utah for an agility trial! LOL However, my husband and I decided to take his vacation time from work and drive out there to compete in the trial, and then sightsee on our way home. We did that a few years ago when we went to St. Louis for the Sheltie Nationals, and we had a great time. So hopefully this trip will be just as much fun!

I’m excited and nervous and anxious, all at the same time.

It’s been so long since I’ve posted it probably seems like we’ve dropped off the face of the earth, but we’re still here. Just busy!

We’re closing in on week four of Rogue being on the Fluoxitine and Alprazolam. I am still really anxious to see progress, but it seems slow in coming. Every once in a while I think I notice something that is a different reaction, or at least a smaller one. However, for the most part, (I’d say 95% of the time)…things are continuing as they were before. In instances that I can predict will be stressful for her, we have upped the dosage of the Alprazolam to the full .25 mg. pill as we couldn’t see any effect giving her the half pill. I don’t know that we’ve got it really figured out yet, as sometimes she seems more relaxed with the Alprazolam and other times she is even more cranked up, almost like she’s trying to fight the effects. I hope this latter reaction will fade as she gets used to the feeling.

Everyone else in the crew is doing fine and loving the cooler weather for walks. Well, except for Zoe and the foster pup, they both would prefer the warmer weather and like to sit in front of the heater or the wood stove. Zoe runs inside in the mornings after she takes care of business, and insists on snuggling up under the covers with me. Even though it’s getting cold, we still haven’t gotten any snow that’s stayed on the ground for more than a day or so. I’m wishing now I had left the agility equipment in the field a little longer LOL.

The male puppy that we had staying here, Dakota, was adopted by his permanent family just a day or two after we brought him home. We’re thrilled for him! He was such a sweetheart! I know the new family is just going to love him. The little girl is still here…and we’re loving her