Still fostering my two perfect pups – Princess Leia and Amelia Bedelia.
Last night, Princess Leia hosted three of her siblings for a WWF match playdate. It was fun to see Chewy (now Luka), Yoda (now Boone), and Obi (now Leo) and their adopters.
Leo jumped right in, tackling Leia, but it took both Luka and Boone a few minutes to warm up. They haven’t had the opportunity to full-on, no holds barred play with other puppies their age since leaving a month ago. It wasn’t long, though, before the gloves (and collars) were off and they played more or less nonstop for an hour, taking short breaks to catch their breath before going back at it.
We compared notes on habits and milestones, and wondered at how their DNA (half German Shepherd and the rest a mix of Husky and Catahoula Leopard Dog which explains all the smarts!) is showing up. Boone is talking a bit like a Husky. Luka has a cool squiggly black line down his back and tail. Leo’s ears, like everyone else’s, are standing up.
Leia’s ears are a work in progress. The right ear stands up a lot now, but sometimes, when she’s really excited or focused on something, both ears stand up.
The group plans to get together again soon, and if Leia is still here (sigh), I will join them. Fostering Leia through her puppyhood has been surprisingly fun. It really helps that she is super smart and not an overzealous chewer; she hasn’t chewed anything inappropriately. (I probably shouldn’t say that out loud or I’ll jinx us.)
During her free time, Leia enjoys chewing all the big dog chews, lounging on the futon watching me type, or playing in the water bowl. This pup is a true water dog. I finally unearthed a homemade raised bowl we’d used with Gracie, so hopefully, Amelia will not have to drink water that has been thoroughly pawed and is full of dirt and pebbles from Leia’s fun. (UPDATE: The raised bowl was not raised enough – she enjoyed climbing on it. I need a better solution – gerbil watering bottle?)
Leia is a quick study and is learning not to jump on people, to come when called, and continuing her sit nicely for attention. She’s got a solid sit command and is happy in her crate for meals, naps, and overnight. She seems to be thoroughly house-trained, at least if she has access to the doggie door to go outside. It’s also VERY refreshing to have a dog who doesn’t eat her bedding. She’s the first one to use the super floofy small dog bed I’ve had for eons but have been afraid to let anyone use, for fear it would be destroyed.
I try to take Leia with me wherever I go when possible. She’s excellent in the car, lying so quietly behind me on a tether that I sometimes forget she’s there. She’s enjoyed running errands and visiting wineries with me, making friends everywhere we go.
All of this is to say—WHY IS THIS PUPPY STILL HERE? She’s pretty darn perfect, as puppies go. Direct quote from the family who babysat her while I was away for three days: “She’s the best-behaved puppy we’ve ever met! She’s curled up in her bed now while I put Arthur to bed.” Arthur is their 1-year-old. I asked how she did with him. “She was wonderful with him. She let him be curious, but she took her space when she needed it. She was very gentle and sweet with him.”
So, there you have it – officially a perfect puppy.
Amelia has been the perfect babysitter for Leia. She is patient with her antics, indulges her need to play, and knows how to gently tell her she’s had enough. I think a lot of why Leia is doing so well is having Amelia as an example. Amelia doesn’t chew inappropriately, so Leia doesn’t either. Amelia doesn’t bark at every new person/car that arrives, so Leia doesn’t either. Amelia shares her toys freely, so Leia does too.
There has been zero adopter interest for Amelia, which makes me scratch my head. I think she is beautiful. A person told me recently that Amelia looks fierce in pictures. I don’t see it, but then again I know the gentle girl she is. She is so loving and patient and quiet. Yes, she is intense when it comes to chasing bugs (or cows or birds), but I imagine it’s all about the chase. I can’t imagine her actually hurting anything.
In fact, when she has access to Hazel, she crowds her and whines, wanting her to play or maybe run so she can chase her, but she does nothing worse given the opportunity. And Hazel is clearly not afraid of her. She doesn’t jump on the counters or run from Amelia. Mostly, she swishes her tail in annoyance and occasionally hisses at her, but she has yet to swat her.
Amelia has done really well when we take her on outings. She’s excellent with people of all ages, especially gentle with children. She is VERY excited to see other dogs and emits an excited squeak. Unfortunately, most of the time this serves to frighten the person or the dog, and they avoid us, but on the few occasions when she’s gotten to say hello, she’s done fine.
At home, Amelia is easy-peasy. She is very happy to entertain herself, and with the dog-door, she sometimes spends entire days on her own with me just popping in periodically between errands and appointments. This is good and bad. Good, because it makes her easy to foster and I don’t worry about her getting into trouble while I’m away. Bad, because this dog deserves a bigger life.
I hope you are out there, future Amelia-person, and I hope you will come to adopt her soon. She is much too special to while away her days in my cottage.
Also, if you’ve considered Amelia but aren’t sure if she will work with your life – maybe you too think she looks fierce—and you’d like to take her for a test-drive. Foster-to-adopt is a definite option for this girl. So let me know if you’d like to borrow her for a few days.
If you or anyone you know is interested in adopting Amelia, message me for the adoption application. (fosterdogcottage@gmail.com)
If you or anyone you know is interested in adopting Princess Leia, apply at www.TeamMemphis.org.
Both of these perfect pups are fostered with me in Maurertown, Virginia, in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.
If you or someone you know is looking to add a furry family member, please share the dogs and puppies in my foster cottage. I need help spreading the word! You can always find information about the dogs on this blog site (under the tab ‘foster dogs currently available for adoption’) and also on the Facebook page, Adoptable Dogs in Shenandoah County.
Until Each One Has a Home,
Cara
For information on my writing, other blogs and books, visit CaraWrites.com.
If you’d like regular updates of all our foster dogs past and present, plus occasional dog care/training tips, be sure to join the Facebook group, Another Good Dog. And if you’re on TikTok, you can find regular videos of my current fosters, dog news/tips, and more if you follow me there.
If you’d like to support the work we do (and save the rescue and me some money), shop our Amazon wishlist. We are currently in need of puppy probiotics, dog vitamins, PAPER TOWELS, small training treats, and always, Dental Sticks and bully sticks. (And maybe a raised water bowl if I can find one that might work!)
If you can’t get enough foster dog stories, check out my book: Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs. Or it’s a follow-up that takes you to the shelters in the south, One Hundred Dogs & Counting: One Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey Into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues.
I love to hear from readers and dog-hearted people! Email me at carasueachterberg@gmail.com.
And if you’d like to know where all these dogs come from and how you can help solve the crisis of too many unwanted dogs in our shelters, visit WhoWillLetTheDogsOut.org and subscribe to our blog, where we share stories of our travels to shelters, rescues, and dog pounds, plus ideas, solutions, and resources to help shelters save lives.
If you’d like to take a vacation with your whole pack, consider visiting one of our two dog-WELCOMING vacation rentals. Visit BringDogs.com to learn more.
Another Good Dog™ 