Honey, Adopted 8/20/09

After we had Honey for 2 weeks, I was contacted by the adoption coordinator, letting me know there was a potential adopter interested in Honey. Just an hour later, I got an email from them, with several questions about Honey. We answered them as best we could and their response was that she sounded perfect. We agreed that they would come and meet her that Thursday evening.




I was nervous for Thursday evening. Honey is such a great dog, and I wanted her to have the perfect family. They arrived Thursday and Honey warmed up to them immediately, as if she knew they were here to see her. They got to visit with Honey alone and also got to see her play with Gabe and Sam. They left an hour later, wishing they could take her home that evening.



I was in frequent contact with them after that, as they went through the home visit and the adoption contract. On the following Tuesday morning I got notification that they were officially approved to adopt her, and I could release Honey to them at any time. We arranged that they would pick her up in two days, after her crate arrived and everything was perfect.



The evening before Honey was to be adopted, I cried. She was my first foster dog, and I really grew to love her. She was such a sweet dog and if we didn't already have two dogs, we may have considered adopting her. Three dogs is a lot, though. And more importantly, if we had adopted a third dog, we would no longer be able to foster. I had never let go of a dog before; the only time I had to say good-bye and face the fact that I would never see her again was when Lady died. This was similar is some respects but I had to remind myself constantly that Honey would be in good hands in her new home, and her adoption would free up a space to save another dog's life. I had recently spoken with Honey and Sam's foster mom in Tennessee and she told me that she cried until it hurt when adopting out her first foster, but then made herself a rule that she would only cry for those she couldn't save. I liked that rule and have promised myself that I will remember it again in the future.



I did well the day of her adoption. That morning we went for our last walk together, just her and I, and when I came home after work she wriggled in the grass more than usual and I rubbed her belly for a long time. We took a bunch of pictures of all of us for our new foster dog album, and we got to spend some quality time together. Her new family arrived shortly after and she was so happy to see them. She was a little bouncy, as if she knew they were back to visit her, and then she just sat calmly and let them shower her with rubs and love.



When it came time for the ride home, one of the adopters sat in back with Honey, and right then I knew that it was a perfect match. How exciting to have her own person in the backseat with her! We said our goodbyes and wished them well and off they went. Just before they were out of sight I caught a glimpse of Honey's ears out the back window and I burst into tears again, knowing that this would probably be the last time I would ever see her. Gabey came to my rescue, licking up the tears, and the four of us went for a walk, just like how it used to be.



Maybe someday I will be lucky enough to run into Honey somewhere, or maybe we'll meet at a dog event. Better yet, maybe they'll come to a meet and greet today in hopes of adopting a buddy for her! Either way, she is their dog now and she is in good hands. I will miss her always and she will have a special place in my heart as my first foster. I have been lucky enough that the adopters have provided me with a few pictures and updates, and I hope she lives a long and happy life with them. Honey almost died twice, and deserves every bit of this happiness.

Honey with her new family

Honey Update 8/11/09

This past weekend was a trip to upstate New York because I had a bridal shower to go to. Since Honey hasn't been adopted yet, we took her with us. She was so excited to have a fenced in yard to run around in and two other dogs to chase. She was so good! She proceeded to charm my parents and their friends, who brought over their 3 year old German Shepherd. Honey got along so well with everyone, the weekend went so much better than I ever could imagine.

On Friday night after we arrived, Honey paced a little, so we set up her crate. She promptly laid down in it, she was pooped after the long car ride! It made us laugh and we tried to get pictures because we haven't even seen her sleep in her crate at our house! She's awake when we go upstairs to bed and she is always excitedly waiting for us in the morning. Saturday was a gorgeous day and the dogs were able to spend the majority of the day outside.

On the ride home on Sunday, we hit some traffic on the Pike. Honey was so cute in the back, and Sam was so patient with everyone. We put him in the middle because he's the nicest. As you can see from the pictures, he got a little smooshed but he was certainly feeling the love!!

Honey, Foster 7/24/09-8/20/09

Honey is our first foster dog. The weekend before I picked her up at the kennel, we had applied to become foster parents for Great Dog Rescue New England, the organization from where we adopted Sam. I received a phone call that following Monday evening, asking if we could foster an 11 month-old husky/terrier mix named Honey, whose New England adopter changed his mind about her after she was already placed on transport. I said yes and proceeded to panic for the next few days. How would Gabe and Sam react? How would Alan and I handle it? Would this new dog be a handful?

I had been in touch with Sam's former foster mom about fostering and when we found out we were getting Honey she told me that she had Honey! She told me that Honey was really laid back and very friendly and that I had nothing to worry about. I was still apprehensive but I felt a lot better, and as the Friday approached and I left work early to pick her up, I was really excited.

Poor Honey. When I arrived she coughed and coughed and coughed. As a small puppy she had a severe case of pneumonia. She was loaded with antibiotics and managed to pull through, but she has a piece of scar tissue on one of her lungs. It may be a permanent cough or she may outgrow it, there is no way to tell. After that stressful journey and being placed in this strange person's car, she coughed a lot. Because of this cough, she was scheduled to be euthanized. Once again, Sam's foster mom in Tennessee was called, and on Christmas Eve saved this sweet dog from death.

The first evening with Honey was a bit rough. She paced a lot, and didn't know where to sit, and of course Gabe kept staring at her from the living room so she wouldn't leave the kitchen. She cried a lot and seemed very restless and I felt terrible not knowing how to help her. When she coughed I would talk to her and pet her and it would stop almost completely. She would perk up considerably when we went outside though, and we quickly discovered that she loves (I repeat, loves) to wriggle on her back in the grass. The evening passed and she wasn't a big fan of her crate that evening but she must have been exhausted and eventually fell asleep.

The next day she woke up and was ready to play! She decided she would make fast friends with Sam and Gabe, regardless of what they thought, and that she would explore the house and discover all the new toys. That Saturday morning I walked each of them individually. It took me two hours, from 6:20-8:20, and when I was finished with the last dog I was pooped. No one else was though! And so resumed a day of new adventures. Gabe didn't want much to do with Honey and she came on a bit strong with Sam but he's a friendly little guy and didn't seem to mind too much.

Sunday morning I took her to a meet and greet for GDRNE. There were 13 dogs there and it was a gorgeous day (too hot, but we were able to be outside) so a lot of people showed up. Honey put her best foot forward, was so personal and lovable and commanded belly rubs from all. She didn't cough once! Several families expressed sincere interest in her and I felt positive that she would go to her forever home soon.

On the following Thursday evening as we were settling into our routine with the new recruit, I received an email that an approved adopter would be calling me with questions about Honey. On Saturday night I emailed the adoption coordinator because I hadn't heard anything and was wondering if she knew from experience how long these things usually took and she informed me that the woman called her the previous evening and changed her mind. She said there were two more applications in for Honey and that she'd emailed them and would keep me posted. Unfortunately, it is now the following Friday afternoon and we still have not heard anything. I don't mind keeping Honey for a bit longer though.

She has completely come out of her shell. Where we used to have to coax her and sometimes give her a little push into her crate, we now just say "go to your crate!" with a little treat and she hops right in. She hardly ever coughs! The only time she gives a few little coughs are in the morning when we first wake up, and when we come home from work when she is extra excited. Otherwise, even when she is romping around in the yard or with other dogs, she doesn't cough at all. It seems to be just a mental stimulation thing, and I am so happy for her.

It's been two weeks today that we've had her and while that's certainly not long, we've been able to adjust to her and she to us pretty well. We are going back to my parents house in NY for the weekend and they have two dogs as well so it should be an interesting trip. She'll get to meet her foster grandparents and aunt and uncle (dogs) for the first time! I am hopeful that next week she may find a forever home, but if not there is another meet and greet on August 15th that we will go to and I am confident that people will not be able to resist her!

I like Honey a lot, and I could certainly keep her. She is a sweetheart and fits in well, and I wouldn't mind having her around. I would like her to find a home though, so that we can foster another dog. The more dogs we can foster up here, the more can be pulled from the brink of euthanasia in the south. If you're reading this, Honey needs a home, and she would make you so happy. Are you looking for your new best friend?

Waiting for her forever family.

Snoozing with a formerly stuffed toy bone.

Chewin'.

Tired after her long journey.

Sam, Rescued 5/2/08

On May 2, 2008, Sam became an addition to our family. We adopted him from Great Dog Rescue New England, which is a wonderful organization that pulls dogs from high-kill shelters in the south when their time has run out and finds them good homes in the northeast. Sam had been surrendered to a high-kill shelter in Tennessee after his family had a baby and decided they no longer wanted him. His time had run out and he was about to be euthanized when his foster mom pulled him from the shelter and he became available through GDRNE. He was only about 2 years old (I later found a birthdate of 8/11/06 in his vet records. I am not sure if it is accurate but we're using it and he will be 3 in a few days!) He looked sweet in his picture and the description indicated that he was about the same size as Gabe (a plus since Gabe is feistiest with larger dogs) and that he was friendly and good with other dogs, so we applied for him, hoping against hope that he and Gabe would be able to get along, without ever meeting first.

Once we were approved as adopters, Sam was put on transport to New England on Monday, April 28th. After a 20 hour truck drive, Sam arrived in Massachusetts on Wednesday, April 30th, was microchipped, and was quarantined in a kennel for 48 hours as mandated by state law. This is a long and stressful trip for a dog! We were scheduled to pick Sam up on Friday afternoon, but since it was my first week at a new job, Alan had to go alone.

They picked me up from work and I'll never forget how I opened the door of the car and Sam crawled right in my lap and slept curled up on me the entire (long, trafficky) ride home. He was so personable and sweet and it was like he knew we were his forever family. The two dogs seemed to be getting along okay, until Sam scratched his ear with his back leg and touched Gabe while doing so, and Gabe gave him a big yip in the face. Once we got home, Sam was a good boy but he was so tired. His breath was terrible, he was shedding in clumps, and when he sat on the couch with me his head would fall off the seat and his eyes would roll back in his head. We didn't hear him bark for days and he wasn't eating well, but after awhile of routine, he began to sleep less and the shedding lessened and his breath cleared up (lots of breath bones!). He was so sweet with us and so adorable with Gabe, crawling up under his chin and rolling over to bare his belly. He was a very intelligent dog, paying homage to the "king" right away. There were some growls and a couple of heated discussions but nothing that a brief separation didn't take care of!

They crack me up because they are so similar but also so different. They are the exact same size, and each have a few nice patterns and colors, but Gabe has perky ears and Sam's are floppy. Gabe holds his tail up and Sam hangs his down. Gabe has tiny little paws and skinny legs, and Sam has big paws and muscular legs. Gabe is sort of fluffy and Sam is so smooth and shiny. We didn't plan it, but they complement each other perfectly.

It took us awhile to get used to Sam. He has more energy than Gabe and loves to jump and pulls on a leash. I don't know where he wants to go but he always wants to get there fast. Every dog has his little quirks but every now and then I look at Sam, snoozing on the couch, chewing on a toy, or sleeping in bed with Gabe, and I'm amazed at how well he fits in with our family. Sam loves to play, loves to run, loves to chew on toys, but is quite the couch potato when he wants to be! He's a very easy-going guy. All dogs love Sam, and while they sense to steer clear away from Gabe, they all jump all over Sam and chew on him right away. As Alan always says "Sam takes a licking, but keeps on ticking".

On June 9, 2009, Sam had two seizures. We took him to the vet immediately but to this day we have not been able to figure out what caused them. We had seen something similar a few months previous, but did not recogonize what it was. We have been instructed to watch him closely and keep the vet updated, but apparently some dogs just have seizures a few times a year with no real cause for worry. It was an awful few days afterward, expecting him to have another one at any moment. It was very scary, and we were so afraid that something serious would be wrong. Thankfully, we have not seen another one, and Sam seems to be just as happy and bouncy as ever. During these few days where we watched him like a hawk, I gained a newfound appreciation for Sammy. I had always loved him, but suddenly there was a chance of losing him and I couldn't bear that thought. Needless to say, he took advantage of this and made sure to hog more of the bed, steal the covers, and beg for more food. He is a smart little bugger.

Sammy's shelter situation was different than Gabey's. Gabe was lucky enough to be placed in a no-kill shelter, but Sam was not. It is his story that most breaks my heart. To think that he would have been euthanized when he was just over a year old kills me. He has such a spirit, and such a personality! Why should he be put to sleep just because no one wanted him at that moment? I am so thankful for his foster mom and GDRNE, who have made a world of difference in his life. They saved his life, and without them he simply wouldn't be here. It is Sam's story that haunts me, that makes me want to make a difference. I had always vowed never to buy a dog, and always adopt to save a life, but it's not enough. I have two dogs and even if I adopted another, that only saves one more life. After adjusting to the new house, new job and two dogs (who have become quite good friends now, true brothers I must say), I decided I wanted to do more. At the end of July, Alan and I applied to be foster parents for Great Dog.

Sammy is so handsome!

Getting a bath at Suds and Scoops!

Trying to nap.

Curious, on our very first day together.


Sam and I at the 2008 Walk for Animals.


First day in the family, afraid of the camera.

Sam's first picture!

Gabe and Sam, Christmas 2008.

Gabriel, Rescued 12/6/06

We adopted Gabriel from Save a Dog on December 6, 2006. Put simply, Gabe is my best friend. He is goofy, playful, can nap with the best of them and is so sensitive to our feelings. If we are sad or down, he is there with kisses galore. When we moved into our first house, I fell down the basement stairs the second day and bruised my tailbone so badly I couldn't sit normally for a few weeks. I was yelling for help and the first one there was Gabe, kissing my face and making sure I was okay. He was too little to help me up, but he made me feel better nonetheless.

We met Gabe on a November morning, shortly after we had to put Lady to sleep. It was at a meet and greet at Petco and there were only two dogs there and when I asked if there were any dogs all I could see was this little brown and white tail. His foster mom said "This is Gabe!" and I was so excited because I had picked him out on their website and he was one of the ones at the showing. It was fate! He was so cute. He was quite chubby but so sweet. I knelt down and he put his tiny paws (he has such skinny legs for his body) on my legs and kissed my face, after meeting me only seconds before. I have learned he does this to everyone, but still, he stole my heart. We couldn't apply for him then because we were going overseas to visit Alan's family over Thanksgiving but he certainly stuck in my mind.

While we were in Ireland, I spoke with my mom back in the U.S. a few times and I kept asking her to check the website to see if he was still available. He was, and we bought him a little green and white stuffed soccer ball toy while we were there. It was just for him and we hadn't even applied for him yet. Long story short, we adopted him shortly after we returned and he showed us a whole new world of dog! We originally thought "what have we done?". He barked a lot, played a lot, kept moving my little stuffed toys all over the house and would look at us so innocently, as if we were the ones who had moved them and just didn't remember. He never slept, and he had tons of energy! This was very different than Lady, but Gabe was only 4 and Lady was 9 when we got her.

Needless to say, we adjusted! We always tried to make him sleep on his own bed in our bedroom and we'd have to tell him to stay there a hundred times. He would eventually fall asleep and so did we, but in the middle of the night I'd feel someone staring at me, only to wake up and see this little face near mine, asking to come up on the bed. And because I am a marshmallow, I let him. It was an entirely new experience with Gabe. He was the first to sit on the couch with us or share our bed, he loves all kinds of toys and it was so fun to take him to the park and throw the tennis ball for him. Those little wheels can really go! Gabey is a little guy with a big personality and a huge heart. He loves everyone and always wants to be the first to greet him. If you're not paying attention to you he might swat you in the face! When we go on walks and he sees people walking by he lowers his ears, wags his tail so hard his whole back end goes with it, and struts his stuff. He's cute and he knows it! He is such good company and whenever I'm having a bad day I can't wait to come home to his silly little face. Sometimes he is so excited he nibbles under your chin at your neck. It hurts and takes me by surprise so I say "ouch!" and he'll pull his head back as if to say "I'm sorry, I didn't realize I hurt you" and then his face quickly closes in for more love.

Gabe is a champion kisser. I think it is his favorite thing to do (besides eat). We have entered him in numerous contests, but have never won, due to somewhat kissy dogs with Red Sox jerseys on. If I put him in a Red Sox shirt I'm sure we'll win this year, but why cheat? He's good and we know it. He also loves squeaky tennis balls and will destroy most toys within seconds. We have to watch how much he eats because when he was surrendered to Save A Dog, he weighed 33 pounds!! He weighs about 21-22 now, and in the summer usually around 19 when we walk a lot. He's a little pouchy in the underbelly area and in the chest, which we call his "uni-boob", but he's still as handsome as ever. He won third place in a Petco Halloween costume contest when we dressed him as an astronaut. He turned to stone when we tried to put it on but even though we had to pick up his paws, he still let us. It paid off! He got lots of free treats, a certificate, and a white ribbon that hangs in the kitchen. His new favorite thing in this warm weather is to lay under the futon in the guest room. It is probably nice and cool under there, since the comforter hangs down around the sides. Whenever I don't see him I say "Where's Gabey?" and I hear little jingles as he comes back out to join civilization.

Shortly after we adopted Gabe we discovered that his birthday is December 13th, the day before mine! He will be 8 this year, and last year I was very upset because 7 years old marks senior for a dog. Sometimes Gabe limps around on those skinny little legs because he can hurt a paw so easily if he jumps from too high or gets too rough playing, but other times he runs crazy dog around the house or yard and you would never believe this dog is entering old age! He is just a baby to me, and I cannot imagine my life without him.

Gabe was adopted when we lived in our 3rd apartment in MA, and then we moved to our fourth, and now we live in our own home. He is a good mover, and basically doesn't care where he is as long as he can sleep with us. We learned that Gabe wasn't too bad with other dogs, but could be a bit feisty. He would certainly put anyone in his place if they didn't recognize that he was alpha dog! Once we had relatively settled into our first home, we decided maybe it was time for a friend for him. We wanted so badly to save another dog now that there were no landlord restrictions. Who would be good company for my little buddy? Only a kind and patient dog would do.

Gabe on the window seat at daycare.

A winter evening in his sweater in front of the TV :)

Buddha.

Gabe as a puppy, formerly known as Squirt!

Streeeetch those skinny little legs.

Gabe in the water at Castle Island.

Gabey at camp!

Lady, Rescued 7/27/02

Lady was a 9 year old cocker spaniel whose Long Island family decided they could no longer care for her. She was our first dog. She was not the original dog that we had applied for. We had inquired about a cocker spaniel named Bailey who liked to chase bubbles but when we spoke with the rescue organization they informed us that he was already adopted. Luckily, they had just received a call from a family who needed to surrender their cocker and they were put in touch with us. That weekend, Lady was driven from Long Island to us, and while she missed the only family she had known her entire life, she eventually became attached to us.

Lady was technically my parent's dog, but when we graduated from college, we found an apartment that accepted pets and took her with us. Lady lived to be 14, and knew three apartments with us. She was a good mover and was always patient when we relocated her to a new place.

Lady was a constant companion. She did not enjoy toys, expect for this one little squeaky red fire hydrant that she went crazy over, or the company of other dogs, but she loved to just sit by you. One evening, three days before she died, it was her birthday (or what we made her birthday) and I had a body shop party at our apartment. The presentation was in full swing when I happened to look under the table, and out of all of the feet underneath the table, she was sitting right near mine. She loved her walks and always looked so blissful when rolling around on her back in the grass. She had floppy ears that were always wet from her water bowl, and she was our best friend. On the weekend mornings she would paw at our bedroom door, I would get up and let her in, and she would snooze on the floor or a second bed until we were ready to get out of bed ourselves.

As our first dog, she showed us how wonderful dogs can be. We were so fortunate, and I cannot help but believe that someone was looking out for her. We happened to call about adopting a cocker spaniel the day her family decided to surrender her, and as a result, she never set foot inside of a shelter. Her situation opened our eyes to the fact that not all dogs are this lucky, and that we wanted to save more. We vowed never to purchase a puppy from a store or a breeder and instead, save the life of an animal in need.

Lady died on October 24, 2006. We were devastated and to this day, still miss her terribly and reminisce about her occasionally. Lady was a trooper throughout her numerous surgeries and the last few days of her life. It is not fair that our furry companions occupy this earth for such a shorter time than we do, but her death allowed us to open up our home to another animal in need. We never thought we would love another dog like we did Lady, but we certainly have managed to...