Category: training

foster dogs, fostering, training

The Moose Project

Cara Sue Achterberg

After three weeks with Moose, I’ve learned a few things about our big boy (who lost five pounds and is now only 87 pounds!).

Moose has no idea that he is enormous. He never uses his muscle or size to break in or out of places. Initially, we put him in our ‘tiger crate’, the giant steel dog crate we purchased after a previous foster broke out of (and in the processed destroyed) two large wire crates.

Moose wasn’t crate-trained when he arrived, so it seemed like the safest place to put him, knowing that at 92 pounds, he could easily force the wire crate open if he wanted to. This week I transitioned him into a regular crate and he’s never challenged it, even when left alone overnight.

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dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, training

Moose Moves In

Cara Sue Achterberg

I’ve tried. Hard. For the sake of my family and our new home and the holidays and my husband’s patience.

I’ve tried not to foster.

The plan we made (and I agreed on) was once we were settled in our new house, put up a dog fence, and renovated the cottage, then I would start fostering again.

So, we’re here. Mostly settled.

And the dog fence went in last week.

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documentary, dog rescue, Dogs with Issues, Gracie, owner responsibility, training, Who Will Let the Dogs Out

Lucky Dog

Cara Sue Achterberg

Holidays are always hard on pets. At this house, it was more the after-holiday that did Otis in.

Our house was full for the holidays with grown children, my parents, and our favorite cousins. The extra people available for petting, walking, and giving treats was welcomed by Otis and Graice, but Fanny Wiggles is an overly anxious, shy dog. A house full of people means she’s off her food, on edge, and reacting at every tiny thing.

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adopters, dog rescue, fosterdogs, fostering, hard to adopt, Long Term Dog, returned dogs, training

When a Bite Was Just a Bite

Cara Sue Achterberg

Someone told me I jinxed Mia by writing about her last week in such a celebratory way.

Sad to say, she is back and not because I jinxed her but because she was set up to fail. I’ve agonized over how to explain what happened. I don’t want to throw Mia, the adopter, or the rescue under the bus, but I’d say that we all deserve to be runover on this one.

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adopters, foster dogs, fostering, hard to adopt, training

The Best Trainer for Your Dog

Cara Sue Achterberg

It finally happened.

Mama Mia left for her forever home after 11 months in foster care. I still find it so hard to believe it took so long to get this amazing dog adopted.

Her adopter is a determined and patient woman, who was certain all along that Mia was her girl. It took three meet and greets, this last one happening with the help of trainer, Geraldine Peace, who you’ll recall was such a huge help with Billie Jean.

Every time I spend time with Geraldine I learn more about managing and training dogs. She was able to do in minutes what I was not able to do through two other meet and greets—introduce Mia safely to her new 9-pound senior fur-sister. At each of my attempts, Mia was just too over-the-top excited and could not settle enough that I felt safe introducing them. I never, for a moment worried that Mia would hurt the little dog. What I worried about was her unintentionally hurting her because of the size difference.

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adopters, training

Toddlers, Turn-key Dogs, and Today’s Guest

Cara Sue Achterberg

Hi blog friends, I have a special treat for you today! I’ve invited a long-time friend, who also happens to be a writer and a dog-hearted soul, to tell you about adopting one of my foster dogs. I’ve known Tracy since she was a little kid bouncing around a riding ring on a pony. It’s been a treat to also get to know her as an adult, a mom, and a friend. She’s a talented writer, a great mom, and a smart dog person. I just know you’ll enjoy what she has to say:

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puppies, training

A Dog Who ALWAYS Comes When Called

Cara Sue Achterberg

After last week’s plea, I received so many great ideas via comments on the blog, Facebook, and a few emails, I feel a little like a deer in the headlights–where to start?

One suggestion was to write about raising a puppy.

Not that I’m an expert.

By a long shot.

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cats, dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, hard to adopt, kittens, training

Seeing Them To Safety

Cara Sue Achterberg

What’s a girl to do when her puppy room is empty, the same foster dog has been here for months, her foster cats finally left (after more than a year with us!) and she’s itching to save animals?

Why take in a few foster kittens, of course!

Fostering kittens is a new venture. I know nothing about kittens this tiny. Lucky for me OPH has supplied me with everything I need, and their rescuer gave me lots of excellent advice. Ian is doing the bulk of the work—putting drops in their eyes, giving them their daily meds, feeding them, hanging out with them.

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Breeds, dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, Long Term Dog, Pit bull, training

Of Bite Addendums, Smart Dogs, and Transparency

Cara Sue Achterberg

Smart dogs are just harder to deal with—same goes for smart children. Mia still has no applications, but that’s not her fault. She isn’t a simple dog.

She is clever and energetic and totally in the game. She doesn’t miss a thing—my glance her way while working will bring her to her feet, she’ll nudge my hip as if to ask, “How can I help?”

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dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, returned dogs, training, Uncategorized

Four-legged Happy

Cara Sue Achterberg

Do you want to know what happy looks like in a 45 pound package with four legs?

That would be Mia. This dog simply never has a bad day, or a dull moment, or an off-switch. Well, that’s not entirely true. She does sleep—in fact, when she does it is much like she lives—loud. The girl can snore.

Mama Mia is back with us and she is an entirely different dog than the dog who arrived here last April with ten puppies still nursing.

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