Diary of a Rescue Week Seven: Progress!

After what felt like no progress or only incremental progress for weeks and weeks, this week Daisy had several big breakthroughs!

She’s like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. I don’t know what kind of butterfly is spunky, mischievous, and a little bit pushy, but that’s the kind Daisy is.

She’s also LOVES attention – butt scratches, ear rubs, kisses, any and all of it., in fact she demands it. For a dog who couldn’t tolerate my touch at the start, this has been startling for me. She is one affectionate dog. She’s also playful and funny and busy. adjectives I would not have used to describe her only a month or so ago.

Today she moved to another foster home for the week while I am gone on the OPH Rescue Road Trip. It’s a great spot for her and I’m grateful to Susan for offering to babysit. Daisy has been such a fixture in my days for months now and it will feel odd not to see her daily. I know it will be a tough time for her, but I also believe she is strong enough to handle it and it will be a great dry-run for moving home with her forever family.

The diary entries for this week follow. I don’t know how many entries I’ll be able to post in the next week, as all information will be second-hand I’ll be more than busy in the shelters, but I hope to put a few diary entries on my facebook page.

Diary of a Rescue Day 43:

Happy, happy news! Another OPH volunteer, Susan, is going to foster Daisy during the week I am gone. Susan stopped by to meet Daisy today and Daisy warmed to her calm presence very quickly. It will be a great home for Daisy – no other dogs and no men to deal with, just one scaredy-cat and Susan.

Long-time followers of my blog will remember Susan because she also saved the day with Gala two years ago. Several other wonderful people also volunteered to either foster or board Daisy. I am feeling really blessed to have such a vast dog-hearted community!

We are home again and Daisy was wildly excited to see me – racing around the hallway and slamming into things (she’s not a small dog).

Tanis stopped by to see her again this morning and took these pictures. This dog is proving again and again that #togetherwerescue #anothergooddog

Diary of a Rescue Day 44:

Happy puppy day from Daisy. I have often wondered how many puppies Daisy has given birth to. Besides the eleven she lost in her last litter, her body is testimony to the dozens she’s had before. How many of her progeny are romping around South Carolina as I write this?

I hope they are happy and loved (and spayed and neutered). Watching how she carefully carries and watches over her football, I’d guess she was a great mom.

She’s had an easy day- lots of time in the kitchen this morning and a long walk with me this afternoon. Now she is back in the puppy room adjusting to the newest dog who is back in our house.

I know Daisy’s people are out there. She’s such a good girl and a sweetheart, it’s just a matter of time for them to find her.

Love this dog. Her day is coming.

#whereareyouMom? #Daisyisready

Diary of a Rescue Day 45:

I love this picture of this sweet dog. It captures her personality so well. Someone is going to love this girl. I was gone all day and came home, took her for a quick walk, and then spent five minutes loving on her before I had to take off again and won’t be home until late. I hate leaving her alone so much. But it’s a busy time and she’s a big girl. I promised her a real walk tomorrow.

I spent most of the day with my OPH family at a training seminar exploring ways that we can rescue better. So proud to be part of this organization that does rescue right.

A week from today, Daisy will be with Susan and I will be on the road headed to the shelters where the dogs come from learning even more about how to put an end to need for rescue.

I do believe that day will come.

#itstime #togetherwerescue #anothergooddog

Diary of a Rescue Day 46:

This girl is getting more opinionated! She adds her voice to the dog chorus whenever anyone comes up the driveway, the deer meander across the yard or the barn cat streaks across the field.

When we return from her walk she definitely does NOT want to go back in that tiny puppy room, but with no vacancy at this dog house at the moment she has no choice.

Outside she runs in happy circles and plays the I-drop-it-and-you-pick-it-up game with her football but as soon as I get it in my hand, she lunges for it and takes it from me.

So glad that she is so happy and growing more confident but really wish she was moving to her forever home and not another foster home this week.

#areyoumymother #readytoberescued

Diary of a Rescue Day 47:

We have a full house which means that Daisy is stuck in the puppy room all day. I know she is bored and frustrated as evidenced by the fact that today she chewed the bottom rim off her food bowl.

Each time I took her for a walk she ran circles around me and dropped her football repeatedly just so she could snatch it back when I picked it up. I finally realized that she wanted me to throw it for her, so we played a very restricted (I had a short leash) game of fetch. I hope when I have time to take her to our deserted dog park for a real game of fetch. Maybe tomorrow I can dig out our long line.

Many thanks to Molly who came by this afternoon and loved on Daisy for a bit while I was at the track meet.

Daisy is looking so healthy and happy- she’s still my shy girl with strangers but there’s definitely been a shift in her happiness level.

#gettingthere #happydaisy

Diary of a Rescue Day 48:

Today was a very busy day socially for Daisy. This morning my friend Gina hung out with her for a few minutes in the puppy room before we walked the other dogs and then later my friend Leslie came and joined Daisy and I for lunch.

Well, Leslie and I were eating, Daisy was circling the table and surreptitiously checking out Leslie. When she started licking Leslie and demanding attention, we took her outside for some running around on the longline and that’s when I caught this video.

Daisy is warming up to women faster and faster. I think she’s realizing that they are only here to love her. I wish she’d come to the same conclusion about men!

Patience, grasshopper. That’s always been my biggest challenge.

#maybepeoplearenice #togetherwerescue
#anothergooddog

Diary of a Rescue Day 49:

Daisy is really coming in to her own. She’s getting pushy- in terms of letting me (and others) know what she wants (lots of attention, kisses, and butt scratching). Her confidence seems to be expanding daily. Today she even took a treat from Nick’s hand for the very first time! (And he wasn’t even lying on the floor – he was standing!)

Ronni came to walk with me and we tried out the Flannery and Daisy combination. Both girls were great. Not a harsh word was said. This video is Ronni telling her goodbye after our walk.

She’s still reacting at the other dogs inside but outside she seems to enjoy their company and she’s much happier and more confident when she can follow another dog- not a single panic attack on our 2.5 mike walk on the road today!

She’s ready- where are you Mom?

#adoptdontshop #thisgirlisready #togetherwerescue #anothergooddog

Thanks for reading!

If you’d like to know more about my blogs and books, visit CaraWrites.com or subscribe to my occasional e-newsletter.

If you’d like to know more about the book, Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs, visit AnotherGoodDog.org, where you can find more pictures of the dogs from the book (and some of their happily-ever-after stories), information on fostering, the schedule of signings, and what you can do right now to help shelter animals! You can also purchase a signed copy or several other items whose profits benefit shelter dogs!

If you’d like to know how you can volunteer, foster, adopt or donate with OPH, click here. And if you’d like more pictures and videos of my foster dogs past and present, be sure to join the Another Good Dog Facebook group.

One last thing! I will be leading a group of eight volunteers on a week-long trip to volunteer in some of the shelters we work with in North and South Carolina. We will be posting stories, pictures and video of our adventure. You can see all of it by following our Facebook page, OPH Rescue Road Trip. We promise to share the dogs we meet, the heroes we help, and the reality of shelters in the rural south. It may not always be easy to see, but hopefully it will also inspire you to help the many, many dogs in need. And if you’re so inclined, you can support us with donations through our Road Trip Fundraiser.

I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to comment here on the blog, email carasueachterberg@gmail.com or connect with me on Facebook, twitter, or Instagram.

 Best,

 Cara

Released August 2018 from Pegasus Books and available now