Friday Flashback: Berman Believes in Forever!

Written by CP Berman
Originally posted 10/18/2014 on the Post Adoption Blog

CP Berman, now Blissful in Forever!

They’re in Love!!!  They are so “crazy” about me (whatever that really means…) and they really seem to be enjoying spending time with me!

Ha!  I bet my Foster Mom is gonna’ be surprised to hear this!  She was like all, “Berman!!!  That’s enough!!!” and that sort of thing, but I have made excellent progress!

I've pretty well figured out that this is my permanent home – Forever! - and it makes a difference, knowing that Mom and Dad will always take care of me.  I mean, it was confusing at first because, almost right away, they up and took me off to some strange place they called “Florida” and I was sure they were going to dump me off somewhere – but they didn’t!  They kept me right with them and then brought me back home – and now I am one contented little camper.

Don’t believe me?  Well, just watch my little movie!  You can’t get much more contented that that!  Mom and Dad love to watch me when I am totally relaxed.  They say I am “a hoot to watch” which I think means I make them laugh!

Making your Mom & Dad laugh is a great thing to do, and it’s really very simple:  I just roll on my back with a toy bone or ball in my mouth, kick my hind legs out, take the toy out of my mouth with both paws and drop it back in my mouth again – They think it's hysterical!  Unfortunately, I killed the squeaker on the bone in the film, but when I have one with a squeaker, I really get going!  It's so cute to watch Mom and Dad giggle!

Foster Mom’s description of me on the Col. Potter website said I had “the potential for being an awesome dog” and I have to admit, she got that absolutely right!  All it took was an Awesome Mom & Dad!

Oh!!  I think I must be in Love too!

Thank you Foster Mom and Col. Potter!

Read my Intake Story Here:

http://cairnrescue.blogspot.com/2013/11/berman-learns-some-beta-at-col-potter.html

 

Friday Flashback: The Natural

Written by CP Reenie

Originally posted 11/28/2014 on the Post Adoption Blog

At 9 years old, I'm the baby here!  Mac and Molly are 14!

Foster Mom, PK, I have such good news to tell you!!!

You are Not going to believe this!  Well, actually, maybe you will!

You know, I had that really long, long ride the other day and after we said goodbye and I went off with that nice man, Bill, then I finally met my new Mom.  She brought me home and I met Mac and Molly and Dandi and Allie and Gabby and Ashley and Bridgett and Riley and Grace, and Emma.  I might have forgotten someone, but that was a lot to learn!  Everyone was really excited to meet me and I was really happy to find out that they were all my brothers and sisters now.  Mac was my very special new brother, sticking with me like a guide, making sure I got to meet everyone and see all the fun stuff in the house.  I haven’t decided if I like the sofa or the pretty chair best, so I’m just using them both!  Mom got me a new Winter coat and a new bed and some new toys – it was like Christmas!

So, anyway, the next day Mom took me to the vet to get everything checked out and she found out that I am only nine pounds now!  Taking off a leg is a sort of extreme way to lose weight, and I don’t recommend it, but I have to say that I love the new, trimmer me and I am feeling better and better every day!

I really like this chair, but I Love Mom's lap much better!

Well, the next day Mom took me to the “spa” and got me all spiffed up, and then the next day she took me to “specialty” and emergency vets – really just to show me off, I think.  I mean, I didn’t get poked or prodded or anything, but everyone fussed over me and made me feel very special!

But then something special happened! 

Three little children came out of one of the exam rooms and they were all crying and sad.  They saw me and came over and said their dog had just died, so Mom said if they wanted to sit down, I could visit with them for a while – and that’s what I did!  They sat on the chairs and I jumped right up into their laps and let them all pet me while Mom told them the story of my past and how I lost my leg.  It was very interesting because the Mom and Dad of these three kids were both deaf so Mom had to make signs with her hands.  Mom and I spent about a half hour visiting with this family and by the time they decided they needed to go home, the children were not crying anymore and their Mom and Dad did not have that worried look on their faces.

Mom was very proud of me and told me I was “a natural!”  I guess I’m not 100% sure I know what that means, but I loved being the center of attention, and, even more than that, I really loved that I made everyone feel better - and it took no effort at all!  If that’s what Mom meant, then I agree!

I’m a Natural!

Thank you to the wonderful Volunteers of Col. Potter for rescuing me and giving me the opportunity to spread my wings and discover how easy it is to help others.  Thank you Foster Mom for helping me recover and for believing in me!  You did good!

Reenie enjoying her 1st visit to the Lap Factory!

P.S.  I think I found the Lap Factory!  Mom took me to a new place called "Assisted Living" something or other and you would not believe how many laps I found there!  Woohoo!

Friday Flashback: Divinity Remembered

Contributed by a CP Volunteer
Originally posted 12/10/14 on the Post Adoption Blog

Divinity is remembered for her gentle nature…

It is hard to believe that it has been three months since Miss Divinity bid us all farewell.  Her Dad has been generously maintaining her Blog and doing what he can to help other Cairns in need, and for this we are all grateful.

…and for her achievements as a certified Therapy Dog

Divinity was always ready to help others - two or four-legged!

Today Dad’s post was especially touching.  Pet Partners honored Divinity with a special tribute, simple and well worth the read.  Divinity lived in a wire cage for nine years, but blossomed in her freedom, becoming a certified Therapy Dog and a gentle ray of hope to humans and other animals in need.

Read Divinity’s Blog Post about the Pet Partner’s Tribute:

http://missdivinity.wordpress.com/2014/12/10/pet-partners-remembers-divinity/

Read Divinity’s Tribute in Interactions on Page 10:

http://petpartners.org/document.doc?id=1572

Read about Divinity’s Farewell:

http://postadoption.blogspot.com/2014/09/miss-divinity-bids-farewell.html

Read about Divinity’s 4^th Gotcha Day:

http://postadoption.blogspot.com/2013/05/divinity-celebrates-her-4th-gotcha-day.html

Read about Divinity’s 2^nd Gotcha Day:

http://postadoption.blogspot.com/2011/05/divinitys-amazing-life.html

Conor Takes the Cake!!!

Written by Conor fka CP Hubble

Conor fka CP Hubble has a new Favorite toy!

Well, Hello There!  Conor here, though you probably remember me as CP Hubble – yes the one who hopped over the fence in the deep snow (That was fun! He-he-he-he!) and made my Foster Mom think I got “lost” for a bit.   I knew where I was, so I wasn’t really lost - I just wanted to see what it would be like, living in a different home, that’s all.  Well, I can tell you now: there’s no more fence hopping in my future!  I’ve found the most Perfect Forever Home and the most Wonderful Forever Dad so I’m putting down roots right here!

Conor has had a smile on his face…

…since he first looked into Dad’s eyes!

My Dad and I live near a college campus and we love to go there for walks and to meet all kinds of people - and get fussed over by all the college kids!  I also made friends with the security officers at the college.  They usually come out of their office when they see us walking on their monitors, but if they don’t show up, I go to their office door to see where they are.

Conor and Dad give Day Care a try…

…and it turns out to be Fun!

Dad took me to try out a place called “DayCare” so I could meet and play with some new dog friends.  It was lots of fun!!! We had a game of “Bobbing for Hotdogs”, and we had a birthday party for one of the dogs, and I made good friends with a Beagle!  I made friends pretty easily with other dogs, but they kept reminding me to “curb my excitement” - whatever that means!  Dad liked looking at the pictures they took while I was there, and he said we can go back again every week!  I hope my Beagle friend comes back too!

Dad was very impressed when I showed him my super prey drive and Spiderman skills.  I literally climbed up the bark of an oak tree in pursuit of a squirrel!  Dad had me on the leash so I didn’t get very far, but far enough to show Dad my true Cairnacity!  He had never had a Cairn climb a tree before, so I was glad to give him a good demonstration!

Those Canadian Geese are another story, however. I kept watching them carefully while they were grazing on the athletic fields, and I decided they were making too much of a mess.  The next time there was a large group of geese, I took action!  I used my deep bark and stood on my hind legs and barked at them.  That did the trick!  The geese took off and I felt so full of power!  Of course, when they flew above us, they let loose a fleet-load of goose-poop and I was completely astonished!  I never saw anything like it, falling out of the sky!  Thankfully, none of it hit me, but my Dad wasn’t quite so lucky…  Well, now I start looking for those nasty geese when we walk throughout the campus, and if they are flying above, I stand on my hind legs and give them a piece of my mind!  Dad wears a hat now, just in case…

Conor “flocks” Dad for a Birthday Surprise (note the hat!!)

On Dad’s birthday, I had him "flocked" at 6:30 A.M. when we went out for our walk – Surprise!!  I was pretty sure being greeted by 20 plastic flamingos was better than those old geese!  I even went crazy barking at them, and they did not make a mess.  It was a good surprise – better than cake!

My Dad says that I have a “wonderful personality” and that my behavior is great.  I think he likes that I’m so affectionate and love to sit on his lap while he’s reading or working on the computer.  I’m also very willing to go in my crate and have a little quiet time when Dad is busy.

Of course, Dad isn’t always on the ball…  One morning he had placed his bagel on the kitchen counter when the phone rang and he had to go in a different room to find the portable phone.  When he got back, the bagel was mysteriously gone.  He looked to see if he had put it into the toaster, but it was no where to be found.  Well, later that night, while Dad and I were sitting in the TV room, he noticed that I would disappear for a while and then come back with crumbs around my mouth…  Well, a thorough search revealed pieces of bagel tucked between couch pillows, under Dad’s bed pillow, in the back of my crate, and a few other strategic locations…  For some reason, Dad doesn’t leave food on the kitchen counter anymore when I’m around!

Dad hosted a big gathering over Easter with family and friends, and he worried about me being a bit overwhelmed, but it all worked out!  I went from person to person and jumped to give them kisses, and once I jumped into one person’s lap and sat with him for awhile.  I showed Dad that I was really a good boy!  There was that one time when I really wanted to take the stuffed bunny from that three year old, but I traded it pretty quickly for some new toys of my own.  Even when the three year old kept trying to pick me up (and then drop me!), I was very good and just figured out how to avoid her.  After everyone left, we were happy to get back into our routine!  We took our walk then I just jumped up on Dad’s lap and we both fell asleep in the recliner - A perfect way to end the day!

Thank you to all of the great Volunteers at Col. Potter who gave me a chance to be Happy Forever with the Greatest Dad in the World!

Read my CP Intake Story:

http://cairnrescue.blogspot.com/2013/11/hubble-finds-help-at-col-potter.html

Darby Wins the Roses!!

Written by Darby fka CP Gentry

Darby fka CP Gentry has been Home for Two Years!

Hello to all my Col. Potter friends!  Darby here, fka CP Gentry, celebrating my 2nd Gotcha Day!  Actually, it was really on May 5^th, which happened to be Kentucky Derby Day two years ago (and how I got my new name!), so I’m stretching out the celebration this year, hoping we’ll have another Triple Crown Winner to make my day even more special! 

My Mom and Dad are very special!   They didn’t worry because I was an older Cairn (about 8-1/2 years old back then).  They decided I would be just perfect because they both worked and felt they couldn't devote the right amount of time to a puppy.  In addition, Chia, the dog they already had, was an older rescue, about the same age as me!

Darby and sister Chia relaxing on the verandah

Chia is a 10lb. Border Terrier mix, and she thinks that she rules the roost.  Well, I don’t mind so much, letting her think that.  I sort of fell in love with her as soon as we met, and I’m fine deferring graciously to Her Majesty in all things.  Chia has a “mysterious and checkered past” Mom says, which results in occasional anxiety issues, but I have no anxiety about anything, so I’m a good influence.  Mom says that my gentle and happy attitude have actually calmed Chia down and made her much happier and relaxed over the past two years.  I think that makes me the true Alpha, but we’ll keep that little secret between us, OK?

Darby’s coat is healthy and all grown out!

When I first arrived, I had a terrible skin condition, with lesions and hair loss.  My Foster Mom, Monika, had worked wonders with me to get me on the road to healing, and my new Mom and Dad took over from there.  After a couple of rounds of antibiotics, a major food change, and regular grooming, my skin healed completely after a few months, and now my coat is thick and gleaming!  My vet can't believe I’m even the same dog she saw when Mom and Dad brought me in two years ago!

Mom thinks that I’m the sweetest, most well behaved little boy in the whole world, and she finds it hard to believe someone would ever give me up.  She is very grateful, however, that they did the right thing by calling Col. Potter so I could find my way to my new Forever Home!

Darby and Chia cuddle with Mom on the verandah

I cuddle right up and snuggle all the time, and give many, many kisses to Mom and Dad.  I even occasionally let them discover a trick I’d learned in my “former life” - when someone cared about me and worked with me – before I got frightened of them picking me up.  I don’t know how to explain what happened to scare me so bad, but Mom and Dad have really taught me that I can trust them completely, so I’m a little hesitant now, but I’m not frightened by them picking me up.  My first major breakthrough was only after about three months, when I rolled over to ask them for a belly rub.  It made them smile so much, I know it made them happy!

Darby and Chia take Dad for a walk

Mom says that I am so well trained that she has taken to calling me "Mr. Regular" just because I give her a soft little "errr" almost every morning - at the same time - to let her know I want to go out!  I’m also so obedient, I even dropped a rabbit I caught once when Mom sternly told me to do so – which was a real shock to her! She says she has never had a Cairn do THAT before!  The rabbit even survived, by the way...

Darby and Chia doing some yard work…

Chia and I have our own wonderful huge fenced yard with trees and bushes galore, and we get to chase off those pesky birds and squirrels daily, and we keep the neighborhood cats on alert.  Apart from snoozing on the verandah with Mom and Dad and Chia, my favorite spot is to camp out by the front gate.  This is where I get to "protect the yard" from those people and dogs without Terrier passes who dare to walk by.  I am an excellent watch dog!  Mom and Dad even installed full length glass doors in the bedroom and dining room so I can keep an eye on things while I’m in the house.

Darby has his doubts about the big water...

I’m a terrific traveler too, and I settle down right away to snooze during our long trips to northern Wisconsin.  We have a cabin on the Wisconsin River - and lots more squirrels!  I don't like that "big water" thing, however, and I would rather that Mom would stop going swimming in it!

Mom and Dad say they can't imagine life without me – and I feel the same way about them!  Adopting an older dog was perfect for them, and I fit in like I’ve been here my whole life.  Even though I’m now 10-1/2 years old, I am very healthy and I know we will be a happy family for many years to come.  Mom says I should urge everyone not to ignore the many benefits of adopting an older Cairn!

Darby and Chia waiting for cookies

Thank you Col. Potter - all of the great Volunteers - for making this and many other happy stories possible!

Now, Go California Chrome!

CP Curly Finds Magic in Forever!!!

Written by Merlin fka CP Curly

Merlin fka CP Curly with his Mystic Krewe of Salty Barkers Pirate bandanna

Ahoy there!  Oh-oh!  I meant “Hello there!”  Wearing this fancy bandana from the Pirates of the Carrabellean, I guess I got carried away!  Dad took me to this great Riverfront Festival and let me help at the Gulf Specimen Display table.  What is a “Gulf Specimen Display” you ask?  Well, I’m really not sure - but it was really lots of fun to help out there – and I even won the “Best Beard” in the pet contest!

My Dad is a great companion!

Of course, I’m not sure what this “pet” business is all about.  I mean, a pet is like a goldfish or something – and I’m no goldfish!  I’m my Dad’s son!  He told me so!  Forever and ever!  You see, I used to live in a house with a lot of other dogs.  Eight years I lived like that!  I might have been a pet then, I’m not really sure.  But then I got “rescued” by a very nice lady and suddenly it was me and her and only two other dogs.  She called me “Curly” and told me she was my Foster Mom, and Ella and Gigi were my Foster sisters.  Ella was very nice to hang out with, but Gigi just wanted to hang out with Foster Mom.  That was OK because I really liked Ella!

My new sister, Ellie, thinks I’m a great companion too!

Every day, Foster Mom helped me feel more “special” than I ever had, and then, one day, Foster Mom said I was “adopted” – which made me nervous – but we went for a little ride in the car and met my Dad!  I really liked him a Lot, and then when we got Home, there was Ellie waiting for me!  Like magic!   It was like someone waived a magic wand and traded my Foster Mom and Ella for a Dad and Ellie!  Neat trick!

Flowers!  I thought Dad said “lay”…  Hmmmmm…

Of course, Dad didn’t take long to come up with a new name for me.  I did a very nice job taking the toys and hiding them, you know, under cushions, or chairs, that sort of thing.  Just keeping everything safe!  Well, Dad looked down at me one morning, sitting innocently by Ellie’s toy box – I meant, by Ellie’s empty toy box – and he said to me, “Son, you are like a magician, making all of your sister’s toys disappear all the time…  I guess you must be a Merlin!”  So, like magic, I became “Merlin” just like that!

Dad and I drove a long way for a dog obedience class, but it turned out that we were the only ones who showed up.  The trainer was very nice but she said we would benefit more from a group class, so we have to try going back some other time - and hopefully more people and dogs will show up!  Training is so important, I have discovered!  Every dog should have some!

What’s that, Ellie?...  Oh...

Surf’s up!

I love my Dad and Ellie, and Dad is very happy with me and especially likes that I am such an affectionate Cairn - with a great personality, if I do say so myself!  Thank you Foster Mom and all the Volunteers at Col. Potter for changing my life when things looked pretty hopeless, and I want to especially thank my Dad for adopting me when other people might have thought I was too old, and for putting so much Magic into my life – Forever!

Read my Col. Potter Intake story:

http://cairnrescue.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-lost-boys-find-col-potter.html

Sweet Kayla La...

Sweet Kayla La fka CP Mancala, Santa's Gifts 12/2008

Sweet Innocence has no finer representative...

We will treasure you Always, Sweet Kayla La...

Kayla's Intake Story:
http://cairnrescue.blogspot.com/2008/12/welcome-santas-gifts.html

Kayla's First Gotcha Day:
http://postadoption.blogspot.com/2010/01/celebrating-kaylas-gotcha-day.html