Category: fostering

dog rescue, Dogs with Issues, Flannery Oconnor, former foster dogs, foster dogs, fostering, Gala, hard to adopt, Long Term Dog

Sometimes it Don’t Come Easy…

Cara Achterberg

Sometimes rescue is hard. Sometimes it doesn’t come easy.

As I put the final touches on my next book, due to the publisher December 1 (and if all goes well, released July 2020), I’ve spent a lot of time remembering one particular dog who changed my life. Gala was with us for over eleven months, but truly she has never left my heart.

Gala-7
photo by Nancy Slattery

The new book, One Hundred Dogs and Counting: One Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues (and yes, that is a mouthful and no, it wasn’t up to me), begins with Gala. Up until Gala, fostering had been mostly fun, occasionally stressful, but ultimately a win-win for all parties involved.

Gala challenged me, not just in terms of exposing how much I don’t know about dogs, but emotionally as I wrestled Continue reading “Sometimes it Don’t Come Easy…” →

dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, litters, puppies, Runt

One Hundred Percent Chance of Mutt

Cara Achterberg

So…..puppies! Now that Houdini is safely launched and Flannery is thriving in her new home, we can talk about puppies!

Everyone keeps asking me what breed they are and the only answer I have is 100% mutt. If you can think of a breed, I can probably find some evidence for it amongst these ten puppies. They are all so different!

Some have short hair, some long hair, and some fuzzy hair. They arrived in a rainbow of colors – black, chocolate, brown, mocha, tan, white, and gray. Some of the puppies have a thick density to them and others are light-boned. The two black puppies might look similar in photos, but one is fuzzy and stocky, and the other is short-haired and leggy. I keep color collars on them, but it’s easy to distinguish one from the other. There is something for everyone in this crowd.

Nancy was here for a photo shoot over the weekend and Continue reading “One Hundred Percent Chance of Mutt” →

adopters, dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, lost dog

Houdini’s Last Act

Cara Achterberg

Houdini was adopted on Sunday by a lovely family who met him at an event the week before. He’s a first family dog and they were over-the-moon happy to welcome him to their family.

DSC_2528

Nick handled the adoption because I was attending the volunteer seminar for OPH.

 

The day had nearly wrapped up and I quick checked my phone to see if there were any messages from home regarding the adoption, the ten-pack of puppies, or their mama.

Nothing from home but there was a message from the adoption coordinator who handled Houdini’s (aka Hot Diggity) adoption. He had slipped his collar moments after the adopters arrived home and he was now missing. OPH was Continue reading “Houdini’s Last Act” →

dog rescue, fosterdogs, fostering, litters, puppies, Runt

Mostly Fat and Happy in PA

Cara Achterberg

Almost all of the PA Pups are fat little butterballs.

 

11-4 foster puppiesIt’s been a challenge to get to know them as Continue reading “Mostly Fat and Happy in PA” →

dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, oph, pregnant dog, puppies, shelters, Spay and Neuter

Fifteen Dogs in My House

Cara Achterberg

We survived our record-setting weekend.

Now we just have fourteen dogs. Which we’ve had before.

Gosh, this makes me sound like a dog-raving lunatic. Which maybe I am. Or at least I feel like one after this weekend.

Saying we fostered fifteen dogs this weekend is somewhat misleading since Continue reading “Fifteen Dogs in My House” →

dog rescue, emergency transport, foster dogs, fosterdogs, fostering, puppies, shelters

A Puppy Hero

Cara Achterberg

This week, I was reminded again when it comes to rescue—you can’t predict anything.

Or, at least, I can’t predict anything.

The wild ride began last Wednesday when Continue reading “A Puppy Hero” →

dog rescue, Dogs with Issues, Flannery Oconnor, fosterdogs, fostering, hard to adopt, Long Term Dog, oph, returned dogs, training

A Designer Dog Looking for his Designer Family

Cara Achterberg

There was a time when we had two, even three new fosters each month, but for the last few years, it’s been one long-term foster after another (Gala, Flannery, Daisy…) and a few puppy litters. This weekend we had planned to welcome a much anticipated foster dog from Alabama – Houdini, whom I met while visiting Walker County Animal Shelter where OPH partners with RUFF to support the shelter and rescue dogs.

That reunion has been postponed because transport for Houdini and the other RUFF dogs fell through at the last moment. Hopefully, he will catch his freedom ride at the end of this month and we’ll welcome him then.

Meanwhile, Fanny was in need of a playmate as Flannery and Gracie easily tire of her endless puppy-like energy, so I Continue reading “A Designer Dog Looking for his Designer Family” →

dog rescue, Fannie, Fanny, foster fail, fosterdogs, fostering, Frankie, Miss Fanny Wiggles, shelters

Miss Fanny Wiggles, My Girl

Cara Achterberg

It’s very hard for me to talk about my dog, Frankie.

FrankieDay-15

But while I don’t talk about him, he is constantly on my heart; I see him everywhere.

Losing him and the way we lost him truly leveled me and to be honest, Continue reading “Miss Fanny Wiggles, My Girl” →

Breeds, dog books, dog rescue, fosterdogs, fostering, Pit bull, training

Member of the Pack

Cara Achterberg

Normally when I bring home a new foster dog there is an extended shut-down period – a time when the new foster is kept away from the other dogs, spends a lot of time in her crate, is kept on a leash all the time even when out of the crate (and confined to the kitchen). This generally lasts one to two weeks.

We started down that path with Fanny Wiggles, but Continue reading “Member of the Pack” →

dog rescue, foster dogs, fosterdogs, fostering, Miss Fanny Wiggles, oph, Rescue Road Trip

Home Again with a Stowaway

Cara Achterberg

It has been a long time since I brought in a new foster dog. April to be exact.

(Which makes me wonder what I’ve been writing on this blog for all these months!)

There is a very special dog in my kitchen. She arrives with a story that began back in June. A story that inspired me to return to Tennessee and go on to Alabama and to now explore more ways I can change the situation.

You may recognize her face… Continue reading “Home Again with a Stowaway” →