Lola-ADOPTED!

I know, I know...I'm SO far behind in Blog posts.  I need to post pictures of Wendall.  I teased about a new little guy that entered our life in April, which I need to write about...he actually ended up being a foster failure and became the newest member of the Wagner Clan.  Then there was Barley, my first foster with Erin's Midwest Animal ResQ.  My mid year resolution is to get caught up...and part of that includes writing about our fosters as we have them...especially the ones up for adoption!   On that note...meet Lola!

Lola was saved from the Kansas City, MO Shelter with only 2 1/2 hours to live on June 19, 2012.  She had made the shelter's "urgent list" because she was a hyper girl and they were having trouble introducing her to other dogs.  She had actually been adopted at an adoption event, but was returned to the shelter just TWO hours later because she didn't immediately get along with the family's other dog.  She is a Pocket Shar Pei/Pit Mix (about 35 pounds), who is only about a year old, and had spent three months of her young life confined to that yucky shelter.  Her time was up.  I knew it would be tough, but this sweet girl didn't deserve to die.  The great people at Unleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption agreed to bring her in to their program but needed foster.  That's where we came in!

The fantastic trainer at KC Pet Project brought Lola to our house just hours after she was supposed to die.  She bounded out of the car and was dragging the trainer to me.  My first thought was, "good lord, what have I gotten myself in to?!?"  I gave her some pets and got my first sloppy pittie kiss.  We let both of my dogs come out to meet her.  She was immediately taken with Ollie and they played so well together during that very first meeting.    Shannon, the KC Pet Project Trainer, commented on how surprised she was with her behavior.  

After Lola had met both of our pups, I took her on a walk, and got her all set up in her kennel in our bedroom.  She was spastic, stinky, and (for lack of better words) hell on wheels.  But she had this twinkle in her eye that just beamed utter gratitude.  She did great her first night in the kennel.  We went on a long walk the next morning.  She got a big breakfast and a bowl of fresh water.  We were establishing consistency and a routine, something this little girl had clearly never had in her life.

Since that first night, Lola has come so far.  She is the sweetest girl and the very best cuddle bug.  She gives amazing pittie kisses.  When you come in to view, her entire body shakes with excitement.  She has learned to sit and is getting better on her leash each and every day.

BIG SMILE!

Initially, she was kept separate from our dogs, other than occasional supervised play time outside.  Tucker, to this day, isn't sure what to think, so they only hang out when both are leashed.  Ollie, on the other hand, has decided that Lola is the coolest thing since sliced bread his new girlfriend.  He patiently waits outside the bedroom door for me to let him in for play time.  They wrestle and zoom around the room, through the bathroom, to the guest room.  Lola graduated from having a leash held to dragging the leash.  Now, she doesn't have to wear a leash when she plays with Ollie!  She is easily redirected from play time to "sit".  Lola constantly has a smile on her face.  It's easy to see why Ollie is so smitten!  

Last night I learned that the smile she so often wears hides a very painful past.  I had already seen the scars. I just assumed the outward wounds came from a life on the streets. She has a cropped tail, as she came in to the shelter with hers broken. She is missing a toe nail on one of her back feet. She had eye surgery for Entropion  (the inward rolling of the eyelid).  But last night, I got a glimpse of the internal pain she has endured.  She had an accident while I was finishing making the bed.  I just needed a few more minutes!  100% my fault.  I scolded her with a "no", and went to put my dogs out, so I could take her out.  She ran from me with her tail tucked.  She then sulked back to me with her tail tucked and a "okay, just get it over with" look on her face.  My heart broke.  I pet her, but she quickly retreated to her kennel and hid as far back as she could.  I was shocked.  This energetic, sweet girl, who always seemed so happy was now TERRIFIED of me.  I got some treats and coaxed her out of the kennel.  I gave her lots of pets and she came around.  Lola seems to know right from wrong.  But she apparently also has a belief that if she makes an "oops", bad things are going to happen.  She's now learning that she won't be beat.  She won't be punished.  She won't be thrown outside.  She won't be abandoned.  Needless to say, she got extra play time with her boyfriend, Ollie.

Sitting Pretty for a Treat with Ollie!

Lola is amazing, and a true testament to a dog's resilience.  She came to me a dog that was mere hours away from death.  She came as a dog that we weren't sure could be placed in a home with another dog.  She was a dog that probably shouldn't be around kids.  She clearly had experienced a great deal of pain already, making her defensive with some dogs and at times leery of humans.  Her choices of a forever family were pretty limited.  All of that has changed.  Now she has SO many options of that perfect family.  She would do amazing with another dog in the home that likes to play and wrestle with her.  I would still recommend a slow introduction so she can get used to her surroundings.  She'll be okay with children in the home, just as long as they aren't super young, or don't mind being knocked over with her wiggle butt.  She is mostly house trained (when foster mama pays attention, she's great!) and kennel trained.  She loves to go for walks and play with her foster brother, but is also content curling up with you for a nap.  She would make a great running buddy.  I seriously cannot say enough great things about Lola.  She has really bonded to me (and foster dad, too!), and I have definitely fallen in love.  She is my first foster pit, and she has far exceeded my expectations.  As much as I love her, my job is about done.  It's time for her to find her forever mama and her happily ever after.  No one deserves it more than this sweet girl.

UPDATE!!!

Lola was ADOPTED!!!  She is now living the good life and has a mom and dad of her very own.  

 

Catching Up Part 2

After Joe left, I received desperate plea from Katie needing fosters...again, we had agreed to take a break, so Billy was less than thrilled at the idea of welcoming a new foster in to the house.  But of course I got him to cave--I PROMISED it would be the last one for three weeks.  Wendall was supposed to be with us for about 2 weeks, but Katie worked her magic, and Wendall wasn't with us long...4 or 5 days, I think. I have pictures and will upload soon. :)  He was a sweetheart though, just like all of the pups we get.  We sent him off to Colorado, and not two days later, received this note from Retriever Rescue of Colorado...

I just wanted to let you know that Wendall was adopted this afternoon!  That was fast!  We had so many people interested in him that we could have adopted him out about a dozen times!  What a good boy!  Wendall is such a wonderful dog and I'm hoping we'll be able to take dozens more!

For those that wonder how I can send my fosters on to rescue...this is why.  He got a great home, and I was able to open my home to this guy....

Meet Barley. 

Barley came from Joplin, MO, where he had been dumped with his littermates...one of them was adopted and the others were off to rescue, leaving this little man behind.  A fellow rescuer, Sandi emailed me pictures, and we just could NOT say no to this face.  We took him in just 24 hours after saying good bye to Wendall. 

Barley headed to Colorado as well...he was too fun for the few days we had him, but we quickly remembered how hard it was to have a puppy!  Sleepless nights and lots of messes to clean up.  Here's some pictures from his stay....



Tucker was a bit confused as to why Barley took his ball....




Wiped out after play time...



I mean, who could say no to this?!?!

After bath time...

Saying bye to Barley, meant it was break time!  Tucker got lots of attention...lots of walks...daycare visits, trips to the Grandparents, etc.  Little did we know a new little guy would enter our lives much sooner than anticipated...

Catching Up Part 1

GOODNESS!  It's been quite some time since I last wrote and there has been so much going on.  I want to use this blog to catch everyone up on our last three fosters: Joe, Wendall, and Barley. Each of these dogs were amazing in their own ways and I think of them often.  They all have gone off to Colorado where they are no doubt loving life.  

After we said good bye to Levi & Lily, we agreed we would take a little break from fostering.  Tucker needed some undivided attention and we needed sleep.  I quickly learned that in the fostering world, breaks don't last as long as you plan.  There's always another dog to save.  I worked with some great people to get Levi & Lily to KC and one afternoon had a call from one of their transporters. She had a sweet little mixed pup, named Joey, who was in a gassing shelter in West Plains, MO.  He had a rescue to go to in Colorado, but transport was a few days off.  It broke her heart for him to have to stay in that yucky place any longer.  I had to confer with my other half, but I had a feeling that Joey would be spending some time at Casa de Gragner.  Plus, who could say no to this pic... 

We weren't the biggest fans of the name "Joey" so we shortened it to "Joe".  He was a total doll.  

He and Tucker were instant best friends and spent every evening wrestling.  Joe's teeth were sharp as razor blades, and Tucker got the rough end of play time.  Tucker was such a good sport though, and let Joe chew and play to his hearts content.  

Once play time was over, he slept in the strangest places...

Joe was only with us for a few days, but he definitely touched us in his short time in KC.  We were sad to see the little guy go, but glad to get caught up on some sleep!  Here he is at his foster home in CO:

Tucker

Today I'm going to stray away from our foster babies and write about our pride and joy, Tucker!!  One year ago today, our lives were forever changed when we adopted a super sweet, 5 1/2 week old puppy from Creighton, MO. 

Billy and I both grew up with dogs, but this was the first time either of us had our own puppy in our own home.  We had been talking about getting a dog for a few months, and had come across a few different ones that needed homes.  We talked about each one, but none really seemed like what we were looking for.  In March of last year, I was perusing Facebook, and came across a friend of a friend who had posted a picture of five little puppies needing homes...mom is 100% Boxer (what Billy wanted) and Dad is 100% Lab (what I wanted).  We debated if we were really ready to have a puppy, especially one that young, and if we could dedicate the time to raising a little one.  We decided to keep talking about it, but made plans to go down and meet the pups that coming Sunday.  I knew once that appointment was set, there was no turning back!

Baby Blue Eyes looking up at me on the way home...

Getting a puppy, especially one at 5 1/2 weeks is more work than either of us could have imagined, but I wouldn't trade it for the world!  There were many sleepless nights.  He decided early on that he wasn't a kennel dog, and would need to sleep in bed with us...one year and about 60 pounds later, he still curls up in his favorite spot...right in the middle!  

He loves to help Mom clean...

Tucker has changed our lives for the better and in more ways than we could have ever imagined.  He is a ball of energy and the happiest dog I have ever met.  He always wants to play and no matter what kind of day I've had, always brings a smile to my face when I get home.  He is the best cuddle bug a girl could ever ask for.  

... And always finds the perfect spot for a nap

Tucker has grown so much in the last year...he was so shy and timid when he first came home, and now he is the life of the party!  He loves to go to Doggie Day Care at Summit Pet Care and meet his friends at the Dog Park.  Tucker has shown us that just the simple things in life are all that really matter.  He's perfectly content kicking a tennis ball around the house or going on a walk with Mom and Dad. 

Relaxing in the sun after a swim...

Tucker has brought such joy into our lives and we feel so blessed that he "rescued" us. We've recently begun to pay it forward and Tucker has become the best foster brother ever.  He welcomes our foster pups in with open paws.  He shows them how fun it is to play and wrestle.  We cannot wait to be in a bigger house with a yard, so Tucker can have a full time friend!




Thank you, Tucker, for coming in to our lives.  You are such a sweet boy with the most amazing outlook on the world.  You have been such a great addition to our family and we can't wait for many more years with you!!


We've taken so many pictures over the last year...but here are some of my favorites...

Levi & Lily

After saying goodbye to Riley, we had some time to focus soley on Tucker...but 10 short days later, we had new pups! 

Levi and Lily came to us from St. Louis on February 28, 2012, thanks to a couple of super rescue transporters, Ruth and Marty.  They are St. Bernard mixes and were about 11 weeks old when we had them.  At 11 weeks old, they were already 20 pounds each!  These are going to be some big pups! 

Lily hiding from Tucker

Tucker wasn't quite sure what to make of these new invaders...they were much more active than Riley was at first, but they really didn't want to play with Tucker...they were much more content playing with each other!  Lily would take Tucker's bone and hide under the coffee table.   Our coffee table has become "puppy land".  It's the perfect place for the little ones to go to get away from Big Ol' Tucker!

Handsome Levi

Levi and Lily were super cute, but SUCH a handful!  Keeping one puppy from having accidents is hard enough...but twice that and you're constantly running around!  They were good about keeping each other entertained though...

Levi and Lily were set to leave and head to Mountain Pet Rescue in Colorado on the 29th.  Their visit was less than 24 hours, but in that short time we were exhausted!  We knew these furballs wouldn't last long, and we were right!  They were soon adopted in to loving homes.


Lily will enjoy an amazing life (filled with fun & lots of love) in a great family with a stay-at-home mom, two boys.... and her dog brother, Murray, to play with.

Levi also got a great home with a stay-at-home mom and two kid siblings.  He's already made a best friend it seems!

Getting these pictures from the new families absolutely make my day.  Seeing my foster babies in their new forever homes make the difficulty of saying goodbye so worth it.  Congrats to Levi and Lily and their wonderful new families!!

Miss Riley Sue

Where to begin....I've put off writing about Miss Riley for so long because it was so hard to say good bye to her, and I feared it would be just as hard to write about her.  I was right.  She touched me in ways I never thought possible, and 100% confirmed, I'm doing EXACTLY what I was meant to do.  Thinking about her still brings a smile to my face.  Thinking too long, and I almost start to cry.  We were all (especially Tucker) so sad to see her go...

I picked Riley up from Kansas City Pet Project on February 10 after work.  I instantly fell in love.  She was SO CUTE!  In the car she seemed sweet and the look on her face told me all I needed to know...she knew she had been saved and would never have to go back to some yucky, old shelter.

Just after arriving home...

 I got her home and quickly realized this super cute, super sweet girl was also EXTREMELY shy and scared.  It was pretty obvious her previous life hadn't been too great.  She hid in the bathroom and flinched anytime you would raise your hand to pet her.  Loud noises scared her.  Due to the dry weather, there was a lot of static electricity floating around our house, and a little shock sent her running.  My heart ached for her, but I knew I had eight days to change her life.

Riley also liked to hide in the kennel.  Tucker was so intrigued by this new addition, but couldn't quite get to her when she was in the kennel.  Heidi hadn't been the most friendly, but Riley seemed right up his alley!  Finally he would have a playmate!  What he didn't understand is this timid little girl wasn't quite ready for his antics.  He tried and tried to coax her out of the kennel, but she wasn't having it.

 

The first night was a bit tough.  I slept downstairs with her (she wouldn't go near the stairs) and she wouldn't leave my side.  She acted as though she hadn't eaten in days.  Getting her food out was the first spark of happiness we saw in her.  She would dance around and turn in circles when it was feeding time.  She couldn't get enough!  She ran anytime Billy got too close.  She was clearly scared of men.  Eventually she would let him pet her if he took it very slow.  But she would always look back to me as if to ask, "Is this okay, mom?"  We were bonded.  She knew I had saved her.

After her shower

Saturday morning brought about a whole new dog!  Riley was starting to wag her tail and would follow me wherever I went, other than upstairs.  Stairs were a whole new thing to her and quite scary!  We decided not to mess with them for the time being.  She was a bit matted and dirty from the shelter, so I gave her a bath.  While soaking wet, I saw JUST how thin she was.  Shelters are stressful, but I still had a week to fatten her up.  I also realized that this sweet fur ball has a TON of hair!  45 minutes with the blow dryer and she was still damp!  But letting me bath and dry her, showed me that in just 24 hours, she had already learned she could trust me. 

  

Saturdays are usually pretty laid back around our house, and this day was no exception.  MU played that afternoon so we all settled in to watch it.  I was curled up on the couch with Riley, and quickly fell asleep.  I guess Tucker decided to join us...I woke up and Billy was so eager to show me this picture...it is BY FAR my favorite of the week.  She was FINALLY feeling comfortable.

   

Best Buddies!

The week brought new firsts for this sweet girl...the first time we came home from being gone and she jumped all over us both because she was so excited!  the first day we had no accidents in the house.  the first time she went up the stairs.  Tucker was SUCH a great teacher.  He really showed her the ropes.  She still wasn't so sure about the whole "playing" thing, and sometimes would snap at him.  Clearly, she had never played before, so she wasn't quite sure what to do. Tucker kept messing with her, and eventually she got it! 

Both dogs in bed with us

By Wednesday, Tucker and Riley were inseparable.  She followed him everywhere.  Eventually, she would go up to Billy for a good head scratch all on her own.  She was a completely different dog.





 

Friday was Tucker's first birthday.  To celebrate, Billy and I had a steak dinner while the pups had T-Bone in gravy food mixed in with their puppy chow.  They were in heaven!  We also had a birthday cake and some other treats.  Both pups loved it!  We will always remember Riley for being here to celebrate Tucker's first birthday with us.

Off to her new life!

Riley's transport was set to leave for Minnesota on the 18th at 8 am.  That day came way too quickly for us.  Friday evening the list came and they had Riley on the "alert list" as scared and timid, with the potential to run.  We had to chuckle, as they sure didn't know what they were getting themselves in to!  Tucker had taught her to be wild and crazy, and to love anyone she meets.  Sending her off in transport van was way harder than I ever anticipated.  We had to wait a bit at the kennel as she was going to be one of the last ones loaded in.  We walked around the property and I kept telling her what a good girl she was and how lucky her new family would be.  I prayed she wouldn't think I was abandoning her like all those humans before.  Finally, her time came, and she was loaded up and on her way!  I received updates along the way and all that she encountered said she was just a doll.  I know that is in large part to the time she spent with us.  The ride home was quiet and tear filled.  I continually reminded myself that we had saved her life and finally given her the love she deserved.  I know she's in a great new home in Minnesota, enjoying all that living up north has to offer.  What I didn't expect to come home to was one sad pup.  Tucker kept looking around as if to say, "Mom, where is my friend?  What did you do with her?"  He just didn't get it.  He laid around and was in a funk for a couple days.  Luckily it warmed up early the next week, so he was able to get out on a walk with Mom & Dad.  He also got ALL of our love and attention, instead of having to share.  He's now back to the same crazy pup he was before!



Playtime!!!

Riley changed my life.  I understand how crazy that sounds, given that we only had her for a week, but I can assure you it's true.  When you take in a dog that had so obviously been the victim of terrible things, you never know how it will turn out.  She completley changed while in our care, and although I didn't know it was happening, changed me.  Fostering can really make you question humanity.  These poor pups just want some love and attention, and instead are neglected, abused, and forgotten.  But the most amazing part of it all, is that even after experiencing the unfathomable, they can learn to love and trust again.  Putting Riley on that transport was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do...but my tears and sadness were selfish.  I was sad for me, not her.  My work was done, and she was now off to bigger and better things.  That frees up space in my home to get my "next" Riley.  She was our first non-overnight foster, and definitely won't be our last. 



Riley was adopted February 25, 2012, in to what I consider to be the luckiest family (other than ours!) in the world.  They no doubt have one of the sweetest dogs I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.  She was able to go in to foster care until her forever family came.  We miss you, Miss Riley, but know that you are doing great!!



Riley's picture from Midwest Animal Rescue & Services (MARS).
She is now known as "Robbie Jo".