The Foster Spotlight Is On LUISE!

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

Written by: Luise's Foster Mom

Luise came into Col. Potter’s care known to have food and grass allergies. Little did we know that was just the tip of the iceberg. I started to foster Luise during the winter and treated her with medicated baths and a diet free of corn and wheat. She started to look and feel better until spring sprung bringing all the malicious things that Luise’s body could not tolerate. Her hair started to fall out, she was constantly itching and she was not getting restful sleep at night. I looked in her eyes and she just looked completely worn out. I asked and received permission from Col. Potter to take her to an allergist and the true story finally was revealed; Luise had over 60 allergies with 42 being severe.

If you followed any of the write-ups I submitted on her you will recall this was the little girl that liked to show her teeth; what we call the big smile. I knew this was a rather strong calming signal she was giving and now I knew why; her skin was painful. During the worst of her allergy flare-up when I had to take her off the antihistimes prior to the allergy tests this little girl clung to me looking for comfort. Luise loves to be in the company of people and looks to them for comfort. Her true colors came out, she is a big love bug at heart and the big smiles were just her telling me to be gentle.


After several trips to the allergist to evaluate her treatment, Luise looks and feels great. You would never know she has an allergy to grass; I shake my head every time she is in the yard rolling around in the grass. Her treatment involves injections twice a week, Wednesday and Saturday, medicated baths and a daily antihistamine. This little girl is absolutely a jewel when it comes to her treatment. She now gets so excited when I go to the drawer to pull out the needle to prepare for her injections. She goes into puppy mode and scratches at my leg telling me to hurry up. Okay, maybe it is not the injection but the treat that follows that gets her excited!

She occasionally still gives me a smile if I ask her to let me clean her ears or if I need to get a burr from between her pads. It is almost a game for us because she will give me the smile and I talk to her and put my hand to her mouth and she gives me kisses then I get to clean or remove burrs. She’s a Cairn! She is absolutely wonderful around new people and older kids. She will greet the kids with kisses. She is a fantastic companion who likes to snuggle up to people on the couch.

Certainly Luise is an older dog, but that brings along many fine traits. She does not have a strong prey drive, she is a watcher. She loves watching people and other animals; she does not chase after cats. She is near perfect on a leash; her only down side is she speeds up a bit when she sees people or dogs approaching. She has no desire to escape from the yard. Did I happen to mention she is incredibly cute and she will use that cuteness to persuade you to change your mind?

If you would like to welcome this sweet little girl into your home and heart, click here to fill out an adoption application!

Maybe Luise has touched your heart and you would like to become one of her Guardian Angels? Click here for more information on our Guardian Angel program.