Saturday, June 28, 2008

Lexi's Puppies With Their New Blankies!

The following update was "written" by Percy:

We love our new blankets and toy ropes, but did not preciate foster mom making us get our pictures took. We don't like to sit still when there are new things to check out. Betsy and Martha even got snotty and growled. Of course angel that I am, I posed like a good boy.

Puppy kisses,
Percy & my sissies Betsy, Tory & Martha

Percy

Betsy

Tory

Martha

Friday, June 27, 2008

From A Pauper To A Princess - The Journey of a Puppy Mill Dog (Update 1)

We've all followed the journey of Flopsy, also know as Rusty, from the puppy mill to her forever home thanks to her Foster Mom, Karen, one of CPCRN's foster mentors. (To read Rusty's journey from a pauper to a princess written by her Foster Mom click here.) Rusty started the next chapter of her life in January 2008 when she was adopted by her Forever Mom, Sheryl. Not only did Rusty get her chance at "happily ever after" she also got a new name! Rusty is now known as Maisie and lives with her brothers Murry and Micha. Maisie's story continues thanks to updates from her Forever Mom.

1/5/08 - Written by Maisie's Foster Mom

Sheryl and Maisie arrived in Boston around 5:30 a.m. She called me this evening, after she had a chance to pick up Murry (Cairn) and Micha (cat) at the pet sitters house and introduce Maisie to Murry.

Let me start at the beginning. She said Maisie was a perfect angel on the plane ride home. Once they hopped a taxi and got home, she let Maisie out of the Sherpa and she did her business. They then went inside the house and to bed for a while. Later in the morning, they got up and she fed Maisie her breakfast. Sheryl left Maisie downstairs and heard her pacing, trying to figure out where Sheryl was. Sheryl called to her, but Maisie couldn't figure out the direction of her voice.

Sheryl went and picked up Murry and Micha and left Maisie at home in the crate. When she returned, she put Murry in the backyard and went back inside and got Maisie. She said they sniffed one another for a minute or two, and then lost interest. :) Sheryl said that Murry was more interested in her, since she had been gone for a week. They went inside the house and Sheryl and Murry went upstairs again to unpack. Sheryl said no more than 5 minutes later, she hears a "thump, thump, thump" and went to the stairs and there is Maisie coming up the stairs to be with them! We don't have stairs, so this is HUGE! The only other time she attempted stairs is when we were staying with Lois in July.

Sheryl took Murry and Maisie to the park for a walk, because the next door neighbor had workers outside using power tools and it was really noisy. She put Maisie in her seatbelt and Maisie did her usual rubbing her head around on the seat, getting excited to go for a ride. Sheryl said the time of day she took them is when the park is quiet, so she knew it wouldn't be too overwhelming for Maisie. Maisie, of course, loved her walks and did amazingly well, even when other dogs came up to her. She said they walked the park for 45 minutes.

Sheryl said that Maisie has claimed a "safe" corner in the house and tends to lay there most of the time. When I was talking with Sheryl, she said she had Maisie on her lap, because she didn't want Maisie to always stay in the corner.

Maisie did mark in her house twice, so I told Sheryl that when she isn't able to watch her, to put her in an enclosed area to prevent this from happening and she agreed to do this. I also suggested that she pick up the throw rugs for a little while, since there might be certain odors on the rugs that are "enticing" her to mark.

I am so pleased with how things are going!

To Be Continued ...

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Dina Update - Written By Her Foster Mom

To read previous blogs on Dina click here.


I had to do an update to show that she looks like a normal dog now as her nasty scars are totally covered by new coat. :) You can see that she still flattens her tail to her butt at times butttttttt ... I had quite an exciting day! Dina comes to get a tiny treat after I do Berry's eyes and she gets her treat. So Dina puts her feet up on my chair this afternoon and gets her treat. Feet down and then up again so I pet her. Feet down and then up again so I pet her again. Feet come up for the fourth time so I reach over and pick her up. She commences to stand on my body with her front paws on my chest. Then she *kisses* me on the nose while her tail is wagging!!! Wow, was I surprised! She's still a *tad* heavy so I turned her around so she could sit down at my side. Nooooo, she climbed up on my body again. Now it was getting close to dinner time so Gilly stood up to my left to kiss my face and persuade me to go feed him. I had my head turned so Dina kissed my ear. Another nice surprise and her tail was wagging again. Finally I succumbed to their blandishments and took them to the kitchen for dinner. Alan got home a few minutes later and she put her paws up on the front of the sofa and he picked her up and she settled right down to relax on his leg.

I chose the photos I did because you can see my pant leg in the one below so you can tell that she's comfortably close to me. And then there's the dandy single eye as she got even closer. :)

Some things still spook her or make her nervous but she gets over it more quickly. All in all I'm very pleased for and with her. :)

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

The Foster Spotlight - Deanna

UPDATE: We are very pleased to announce that Deanna has found her forever family! Are you looking for a TERRIFIC TERRIER? Check out our available cairns! Look for Deanna and other "Happily Ever After" stories on our Post Adoption blog.



Say hello to Deanna! Deanna is a great looking lady who is currently living in Neenah, WI, a mere hour away from the NFC North Division Champion Green Bay Packers! Deanna's name was chosen in honor of Deanna Favre, wife of superstar quarterback, Brett Favre, and a recent survivor of breast cancer. Our sweet girl Deanna is also a survivor of a tough life battle. She spent the first 6 years of her life living in a commercial breeding facility, producing litter after litter of puppies. She was rescued in 2005 and went to a wonderful couple to live out her days in the lap of luxury. Unfortunately, one owner passed away and her surviving owner could no longer care for her, so she was returned to Col. Potter to find another loving family to again live the rest of her life in "high cotton."
Deanna is fully housebroken, sleeps all night in her doggie bed, is full of spunk and energy and loves to play. She has made tremendous strides in her ability to trust people and loves getting scritches and giving kisses. What more could you ask for??

Deanna is ready to pack up her toys and move on to her next great adventure in life. Will that adventure be with you? It could be if you have room in your heart for this sweet girl. Fill out your adoption application and let’s get Deanna started on her adventure of a lifetime – going to her Forever Home! For more information on Deanna please visit our website.


"B" Is 4 Baby Boys - Written by CP's VP of Intakes

I couldn't resist the play on words to introduce the 4 newest members of the Col. Potter family. These 4 baby boys are past the cute, little puppy stage at the puppy mill and they hadn't been able to sell them, they obviously didn't need any more studs and so they released them to rescue. They are all still babies, under a year old, born in October, 2007, but you can still see the effects life in a puppy mill has had on them. They are mostly shy, wary and timid. Hopefully, these baby boys will come around quickly and be able to enjoy what's left of their puppyhood!

Our "B" is 4 Baby Boys are:

Booties
Blanket
Bib
Bunting

The baby boys are currently being boarded and vetted, learning for the first time what it is like to be clean, fed good food, plenty of clean water, and a soft, safe place to sleep. The vet staff is working with the baby boys to socialize them and show them what they have been missing.

Please help me welcome the "B" is 4 Baby Boys to Col. Potter!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Welcome The Land of the Midnight Sun - Written by CP's VP of Intakes

Led Zeppelin sang "We come from the land of the ice and snow where the midnight sun and the hot springs blow". The Midnight Sun occurs annually as a phenomenon occurring in latitudes north and nearby to the south of the Arctic Circle and south and nearby to the north of the Antarctic Circle. The sun remains visible for a continuous 24 hours. The further north and closer to the Circle, the longer the Midnight Sun lasts.

Col. Potter’s Land of the Midnight Sun survived ice and snow and other harsh conditions where they came from in Ohio called a puppy mill. Saturday, six little Cairns got to see the Midnight Sun, free from their puppy mill cages, free from a life where they had no value other than to produce puppies and income for their captors, free to experience the phenomenon of freedom on the one day of the year that we experience the longest amount of daylight. The Midnight Sun shone brightly on the auction and allowed our representative to get all six Cairns available.

Meet the Land of the Midnight Sun:

Grimsey (Iceland): female, DOB 1/25/07
Kiruna (Sweden): female, DOB 6/7/03
Nordkapp (Norway): female, DOB 12/1/03
Twilight: female, DOB 3/31/07
Tromso (Norway): female, DOB 9/1/04
Barrow (Alaska): male, DOB 2/27/07

The Land of the Midnight Sun journeyed north to Oz Project where they will spend the next three weeks being vetted, loved and cared for by Kathy C. before moving on to their own foster homes. My thanks to our rescue angel for attending the auction and getting these babies, Bonnie B. for taking the pictures and getting them ready for their journey to Oz Project and all the transport volunteers that drove to help these babies reach Oz Project in northern Michigan. It might not quite be the Land of the Midnight Sun, but for these six, the sun will be shining on them from now on. Please help me welcome the Land of the Midnight Sun!

Meet Marti, the Newest Kid on the Block - Written By Her Foster Mom

Perhaps you will remember my foster gal Wimogene. Wimogene was surrendered in January to Col. Potter as her owner could no longer care for her and her sister, Martha, due to ongoing health problems. Wimogene and Martha were both 1 year of age at this time.

Marti's owner was a friend of mine and Thursday I received a phone call from another friend of the owner saying that she had suddenly passed away, leaving Martha, now Marti, without a home. My friend's wishes were that if anything happened to her Marti was to come into CP.

I completed the necessary paperwork and now Marti is in my home to be fostered until she finds her forever home. Marti is grieving her owner and clings to me like Velcro. I groomed her this afternoon with the thoughts that all the gentle touching would help her in her grief. I do believe it has helped as she settled down this evening after the four of us went for a little walk. Marti is a darling little gal who still has a lot of puppy in her.

Please welcome this little gal into our family!

Friday, June 20, 2008

From A Pauper To A Princess - The Journey of a Puppy Mill Dog (Entry 16)

Karen, one of CPCRN's foster mentors, has graciously allowed us access to her diary documenting the journey of Flopsy, also known as Rusty, from the puppy mill to her forever home. The diary will be broken up into short sections and posted. Check back for new entries in the series entitled "From A Pauper To A Princess - The Journey of a Puppy Mill Dog". (Previous Journal Entries: Entry One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen)

12/20/07
Maisie is going to be so spoiled! Today, we received a huge packet from Sheryl for Maisie. She sent a brand new coat for Maisie, and it has her name embroidered on it. Sheryl said that Murry has one, too. They will look so cute out on their walks. I am going to help Maisie get used to wearing it. Sheryl also sent her scent items for Maisie; one from Sheryl, one from Murry, and one from Micha. I set up an ex-pen, so Maisie could "spend" some time with them. She was really checking out the articles. Sheryl also sent along the Sherpa that Maisie will be traveling in, back to Boston. We will practice "riding" in it. Maisie also received some cute new toys. Of course, I cried, because it is all feeling so final. I am going to cherish the next couple of weeks with Maisie.

12/26/07
We have traveled up to my brother's house for the holidays. Maisie, of course, was a perfect gem in the truck, during the 5 1/2 hour trip. She was able to meet my nieces and nephews. She was fine, when they were quiet, but didn't like it when there was a lot of commotion. She spent most of her time in the travel trailer with the other pups, where it was peaceful. We have a new mill foster, Bolla, who has attached herself to Maisie. It is so cute to see another one looking to Maisie for comfort. Bolla climbs into the dog bed with Maisie and they nap together. I think it makes Maisie feel stronger, knowing that Bolla needs her.


It won't be long, before Sheryl is here to meet Maisie.

1/3/08 - A Big Piece of My Heart Just Left
I thought I was doing pretty good, until I looked at Maisie's pictures, again. After nearly 9 months in foster care, Rusty/Flopsy, now known as Maisie, has just left to begin her new life with her mom, Sheryl. I feel we are so blessed to have Sheryl as Maisie's new Mom, she is the kindest, gentlest person and was not "put off" by Maisie's inability to show affection. Sheryl would just pick her up and lay her on her lap and gently stroke her, until Maisie would begin to relax. Tony and I were amazed at the connection they were already beginning to make with one another. Sheryl and her friend, Jim (who lives in Phoenix), came yesterday and stayed the night with us. I was able to show Sheryl how to work with Maisie and how to "catch" her, since she won't approach us. I taught her how to walk Maisie, groom her, and put her in the Sherpa for the flight home to Boston tomorrow evening. Again, I am completely blessed with another wonderful adoptive home for one of my foster babies! Thank you matchmaker Holly for helping Maisie find her "pot of gold" at the end of the rainbow!

Maisie's journey has come to an end.


Check back next week for updates from Maisie's Forever Home!

Please Welcome The Lovely Neha!

Neha means loving in Sanskrit. This is a fitting name for our newest Col. Potter girl. She's a 6 year old, 14 pound, beautifully colored cairn who had spent her entire life with a devoted owner. Sadly, her owner recently passed away leaving Neha and her feline sibling orphans. Since then, Neha has slept in her owner's bedroom each night with a piece of her clothing for comfort. Perhaps her dreams were filled with loving memories and the hope her owner would walk through the door when morning came. That was not to be. A relative contacted Col. Potter in hopes of finding a safe and loving home for Neha. Col. Potter wasted no time making it possible for Neha to become a Col. Potter kid. Neha will be surrounded by the love of the Col. Potter family until a forever family of her own is found. She will be fostered by Marie F. Please welcome Neha!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

The Race Continues! This Time It's NASCAR!

Somehow this sweet wheaten cairn boy ended up in an animal shelter as a stray. Once again our always ready volunteer, Ruth H., received a call for help. This 4-5 year old cairn picked up kennel cough at the shelter which delayed his journey to Col. Potter. We were patiently waiting for the day he would be able to join us. A change in Florida law recently went into effect regarding spaying and neutering of pets which caused an influx of pets being dumped at shelters. Word came that Nascar had only 24 hours due to overcrowding. Ruth took to the highway to bring Nascar to safety. He is now at the vet getting ready for his foster home.

So far we know he is a very sweet boy, cute, lovable, gives good puppy kisses, and prefers jazz over Led Zeppelin. Please welcome Nascar!!

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Burke's Brigade - Five Weeks Old And More

Burke's Brigade is growing up! The puppies are over five weeks old and have had their first trip outside. Brent is almost as big as his Mom!