OC Update :)

For those of you who thought we only fostered dachshunds, here's a photo of our last foster dog for the HSCT that we fostered earlier in the year.

OC went to a marvelous home where he's spoiled and loved to death. Sweet, sweet little man who had to learn to trust people and be an indoor dog....something that he dived right into after the first two or three weeks.

Here he is at a charity event benefiting the Waco police department's K-9 division. It was a bathing event, which I imagine he'd have preferred not to attend. :)

OC is in his new home :)

He left here about 6 pm, and Sarah just messaged me on Facebook that he's doing really well.

She said he made immediate friends with one of her cats (a big black one like Ollie), and while there was a bit of an adjustment period between OC and Duchess, it has shaken out well.

OC also spent most of the evening in Sarah's mom's chair glued to her side. I told Sarah he was sucking up to the new Food Lady.

So this is just outstanding news. I'm so happy for OC and Beverly and everyone else involved. It sounds like this is the start of a beautiful friendship, and it couldn't happen to a nicer dog. OC so deserves this. :)

Today is the big day!

OC is going to his new home early this evening. :)

We were afraid it might be delayed because he didn't eat dinner last night, and was out trying to find grass to graze on. He obviously didn't feel 100%, so I was afraid we'd have to put the big day off.

But late this morning, he went back to being his normal (and by now, hungry) self, so Sarah will be by this early this evening to pick him up.

Randall and I are REALLY excited for him. OC has come a long way in the few short months he's been here with us. He now truly understands that one of the best relationships he can have is with people who love and care for him. He's going to make a wonderful pet for Beverly, and I know she's excited that he's coming home to her tonight.

Foster to Adopt!

You go OC!!!!

The meet and greet with the other dog went off really well today. Beverly (Sarah's mom) couldn't make it, but Sarah brought Duchess over, and there were no problems.

Considering OC's past response to larger dogs, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was hoping that the combination of neutering him and learning that he doesn't have to fend for himself would turn this into a non-event. And it did.

Sarah is going to talk to Tim tomorrow to get the paperwork processed, and then she should be able to come pick him up Thursday afternoon. We're waiting that long because her mom has off Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so she can spend the long weekend working OC into their life.

Randall and I are very excited. It has been such a thrill to take in a dog who basically walked the streets and fended for himself and teach him that being with people is a wonderful thing. I think he's learned that lesson well, and now he's ready to pack his bags and move into his forever home.

We'll remain foster dog free for a couple weeks just in case things don't work out and he boomerangs. We wouldn't want him to have to return to the shelter because there was no room here.

So way to go OC! You've done us proud!

OC's Meet and Greet

Sarah and her mother came over this morning to meet OC, and it went really well.

OC spent most of his time on the couch leaning into mom and getting petted. And when she stopped petting, he'd lean in more and look up at her.  There was some pretty good connecting going on. :)

Sarah called a bit later, and they want to bring her mother's dog over tomorrow to introduce to OC. That's really the key. The dog is 45 pounds, but she's apparently broader than she is tall, and she's an adult who has been spayed. So that may make all the difference.

Once we see how that meeting goes, I'll know more. But if it does go well, it looks like OC has found himself his forever home. Which is outstanding. He's a very, very sweet little boy with a great deal of love and companionship to share. I think this would be a very good place for him.

I'm excited about tomorrow and really hope it goes well. I'll probably use Haley for the initial intro since she's so mentally sound. That way, OC can take his queue from her when he meets Dutchess.

So everyone keep your fingers crossed for our boy. I'd love to see him get adopted by a great family!

View From The Top

Tomorrow OC meets his prospective new family, but for now, this is what I see at night when I go to give treats at bedtime. :)

Prospective adopters on Saturday

Good news!

OC has a pair of adopters (daughter and mother) coming for a meet and greet with OC on Saturday morning.

I spoke with the daughter last night, and she called a bit ago to set up a time when they could meet him. The mother is the actually adopter, but I get the feeling that OC would spend some time at the daughter's house, too.


If this meeting goes well, OC will need to meet the rest of the family. There's a cat, which should be no trouble. There's also another dog, which is where my reservations are because she's a cattle dog/terrier mix that weighs about 45 pounds. I have no idea how OC will take to a larger dog. The good news is, it's a female who has been spayed.

He just had a bath  a few days ago, but he'll need his nails clipped.

His dry skin condition seems to be well under control. Not perfect yet, but we're working on it. He is getting 1/4 teaspoon of fish oil once a day, and it does seem to be working. He's only been on it a few day, but I suspect that by the end of the week, that problem will be solved.

The area on his back where I shaved him to treat his hot spot has begun to really grow back in, so he no longer looks like he's had back surgery. It's not even very noticeable unless you're looking for it.

So keep your fingers crossed for our boy. OC really does deserve a home of his own, so I'm hoping this is a good fit.

Update, May 27, 2011

It's been about 10 days since I did any sort of OC update, and I thought maybe I should hie my butt out here and post something.

Real life has been kicking me over here, so that's my excuse. And I'm sticking to it. :)

OC is doing well. He's gained the weight I thought he needed, and then some. About a half pound more than I'd like to see on him. So we're tweaking his food. When I weighed him last, he was coming in at 10.8 pounds. He really should be closer to 10. Since he's been neutered, he seems to keep weight on. Before, he just ran it off. So the neutering has definitely helped with that.

He's also doing nicely with the pack hierarchy. He's settled into second on the male totem pole, and no longer challenges Elvis (who never cared that much anyway). He's also stopped marking. Even when Elvis (who isn't neutered), hikes his leg, OC just walks on by without a backwards glance.

Which brings up another point. If someone asked me if OC was housebroken, I wouldn't be able to answer. With Elvis here there are very frequent potty breaks (medicine driven). Because of that, it's really hard to say just how housebroken this dog is. As I said, though, there's no marking, and the only times I think I can attribute an accident to OC, it's been pouring down rain outside.

His coat continues to bug me. Shaving the area around the base of his tail solved the hot spot problem, but he is constantly chewing or licking. I've not seen many fleas, though this could be a reaction to the ones he does have, but I'm thinking more and more that it's either a seasonal allergy or something diet related. He does seem to have very dry skin, so I've started giving him 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil a day, and he's getting brushed good once a day. He's also on Benadryl twice a day, and that has stopped his sneezing, and seems to help with the itching.

He's due for a bath and flea treatment early next week, but I may leave off the spot on treatment for a few days in favor of two baths with conditioner added. I want to see how much that will help him.

I STILL haven't gotten him on a leash. My bad. I hope to do that in the next few days...it's tough because I have trouble with my balance. And until I can get him on a leash, I can't do any sort of testing to see how he'll react to larger dogs. And that's a must since he had some trouble with it at the shelter.

He's definitely learned the joys of chasing squirrels, and he and Skeeter go pelting around the yard giving chase to any squirrel brave enough to set foot on the dog side of the yard. While he's not as committed to this as Skeeter, its only because he lacks the experience. :)

And despite his high energy level, he showed me again tonight that he's really loving the people thing. He spent most of an hour on the sofa either between my husband and me or in my lap while we watched a movie. He dearly loved the petting and attention, so there's no question that while he'll be a good activities dog, he's also going to excel as a coach potato when called on to perform that duty.

And again, whoever adopts this boy HAS to get him a crate. He dearly, dearly loves his crate, and is in there sleeping in it much of the day. Matter of fact, if the door is shut on his, he'll go into Elvis' and nap there. I've never had a dog love a crate so much, and I suspect a lot of this is because it's the first place he's ever had that was really, truly his.

Hopefully this next week I can get some photos, too. I'd love to get some outside, but it has been so hot here, and his coat is so thick, that I don't want to leave him outside for too long a time. Fingers crossed, though, that I can get some.

I'll post again next week after bathing him.

One of OC's Favorite Things....

Sunning. :)

This boy LOVES the feel of the warm sun on his back....as you can see. Of course, there's also the occasional bug that grabs his attention, but he's too lazy to do more than look.

Not a storm lover

Well, here's one more thing I can put down on OC's profile. He's not a storm baby.

We've had thunderstorms rolling through here for the last day or so, and OC isn't a fan. He doesn't want to go outside when it's raining (not surprising), but as importantly, he's not a fan of thunder.

He's not as bad as some dogs I've had that get really anxious when thunder is heard (panting, walking, whining, barking), but he comes in here where I am and lays behind my chair. He is clearly unhappy, but the only real response I'm seeing is that he wants to be in with me as opposed to laying on the pillow in the den with the other dogs.

So it's definitely something to keep in mind. He was quiet last night in his crate when we put everyone up for bed, but I want to keep an eye on this. It's not a big deal, but I do wonder if it will translate into disliking other loud noises.

Stay tuned.

Where you often find OC :)

This boy loves his crate.

OC Information

OC had a meet and greet with a prospective adopter today, but it didn't work out. However, I need to get this information out here regardless. :)

Chihuahua/Spitz mix

Neutered male, approximately 8 years old, about 10 lbs

Low grade heart murmur (not on any sort of medical treatment)

Likes cats and small dogs.

Crate trained; UTD on shots and rabies vaccine

2/3 - 3/4 cup Purina ONE Sensitive Systems moistened with water, once daily



I would encourage you to take advantage of the shelter's obedience training offer. He's got a bit of a stubborn streak, but I think most of that can be addressed with training. He's also the sort of dog that I have often thought would make a good therapy dog, or other service dog. Even though he's older than what would normally be desired in a program, he's whip smart and very much wants to please. He loves people, and is equally at home bouncing around and playing or laying next to you on the couch. Training can only improve what's already there. He's a very nice little boy.

He's good with small dogs and cats. He had some issues with larger dogs while at the shelter, but I think that behavior could easily be modified. He was a stray before coming to the shelter and his actions make me think that he had a run in with a larger dog at some point. Patience and behavior modification training will most likely get him over that.

OC currently has some allergies that I've been treating with diphenhydramine (Benadryl). He's had a hot spot show up on his lower back, which has caused him some trouble (that's what he's shaved there), but is clearing up. He appears to have some seasonal allergies and, perhaps, flea allergies (he's currently on Biospot spot treatment and that should be good until 6/4). He has not been heartworm tested, yet.

There is a low grade heart murmur here, but it doesn't restrict his activity, and it's simply something to inform your vet of. He was neutered at the vet's office (La Vega Vet Clinic, 799-0808), but had absolutely no trouble with the anesthesia. His teeth were cleaned at the same time (4/11).

He is very much in love with his crate, and I would really suggest purchasing one. While he will make use of the dog basket and pillow, he is most frequently to be found curled up in his crate. We leave the door open, and if it's shut and he wants in, he'll go in another crate. I suspect since he was a stray, this may be his first real "home" he's ever had. He absolutely loves it. He eats, naps and sleeps overnight in it, so I would definitely crate him when he's alone. He also loves chewing on a smoked knuckle bone, so putting him in a crate with a water source and a bone is probably one of the biggest favors you can do for him. He also readily crates for treats, so some small dog snacks used as a bribe will get him to go in if you need to put him up.

The crate size you'll need is about 25 x 19 x 18. Petsmart carries a Petmate carrier close to the size I use. It's Large: 26.2"L x 18.6"W x 16.5"H (For pets up to 25" tall x 32" long) and is about $45. There are probably other brands that would work as well, but I'd be sure it's the right size, and I'd definitely get a travel crate (and not a wire one) since he likes the "den" atmosphere. Put in the room where he can spend time with his people, and he'll be one happy little OC.

Quick update, April 9, 2011

I know I've been a bad, bad girl on updating about OC.

He's doing fine. Adjusting well. Learning his people skills.

Getting his BBs removed (yesterday) and two teeth pulled. :)

It will take a few days for the full effect, but I'm already seeing less marking and other territorial behaviors, so I suspect he will really be an improved dog.

I'm leaving town tomorrow for a week and a half or so, so there won't be any updates. Randall will take care of OC, and hopefully there will be someone who can take over fostering for us for the few days when Randall comes up to get me in Dallas. If not, OC will have to go back to the shelter until we get back in town. It would only be for 3 1/2 days, but I still hope he can go into someone's home instead.

For now, I'll leave you all with some photos I snapped yesterday afternoon when OC got back home from Dr. Walthall's clinic. He reminds me of a frat boy who had a few too many. If he could see these, I KNOW he wouldn't want them published, but I'm tacky that way. LOL

Introducing OC (aka Oracle) 3_18_2011

Randall and I took Snickers by the shelter early this afternoon to meet his new family. He's gone to a wonderful home where I know he'll be very happy, very loved and VERY spoiled. :) Good for him. This is JUST what that little guy deserves.

So while we were there, I had the chance to talk to Kris about rotating foster dogs. I sort of have a built in "timer" right now, because I'm going to Dallas in mid-April, and I don't want Randall having to come pick me up with Skeeter, Elvis AND a foster dog. Kris said this was something they were trying out, so I asked if this little senior Chihuahua mix named Oracle was available and would he be a good candidate.

Yes indeed. He would be. So Kris called Emily (who handles most of the cats that come through), and she brought him up for us to see and gave us a bit of his history.

Oracle is a senior, and I do mean senior, Chihuahua mix who was picked up as a stray in February. Emily had posted on her Facebook page that he was depressed and really needed a foster. This was late in February, and he'd been haunting me. There have been two dogs up there that have stayed in my mind. The first was a senior rat terrier bitch who got dumped by her owner because he got new carpet (I was there that day and could have killed him). The second was OC (I have trouble getting my half a tongue around the full name, so he's nicked *g*)

He's listed as 10 on his profile, but I'd honestly go older with him. 12? Maybe 13? He's got some cloudy eyes going on, and he also has a slight heart murmur. He's also intact. He's active and moves well, but you can tell he was originally a tricolor whose tan has faded to grey, and the grizzling has moved up on his head to behind his ears and down on his legs.

Bringing him home brought the same problems we had with Skeeter and Snickers. Skeeter is the alpha male and he won't let anyone forget it. He has been busy posturing and generally being a pain. Pretty much what I expect, but annoying nevertheless.

From just a few hours with OC, what I can tell is he is used to being outside and probably fending for himself. He goes outside, and you can plan on him being out for an hour. He does NOT want to come in. Part of this may be that today is the first day he's had an extended period of time where he's been free outside, but even so, something tells me that's the environment he's used to.

He's quite reserved. Don't get me wrong, he's a very sweet boy with a very gentle nature, but he doesn't push himself on you. Part of that may be that he's in a new situation and is unsure of himself, but I think as he gets comfortable with his surroundings he's still going to be a dog who doesn't pester people. You come to him, and he's very happy.

He does like women. He'd pinged in on Emily at the shelter, and he's pinged in on me. Because of Skeeter's possessiveness with Randall, I'm encouraging OC to stay in here with Haley and me. No problem there. He's got the blanket and he's loving the comfort. If I sit down on the floor and he's not so comfortable he doesn't want to move, he gently climbs into my lap. He's jumped up on my chair, too, to get my attention, but he's very light-footed. A gentleman, really.

Tomorrow he gets a bath (he's rank), and I'll get a weight on him. I'd put him at around 9 pounds, but it needs to shift and he could stand to gain a bit. Being on good food should help him, too.

There's a good chance he'll be neutered next week. Because of the heart murmur, he'll have to go out to Dr. Walthall's for the operation, but that's fine with me. The shelter is going to try to raise the funds, so hopefully they can get them fairly soon. He'll be happier all the way around if the family jewels are missing. :)

I will be making changes to this blog this weekend, so that Snickers information is replaced by OC's. Even though I only expect him to be here until early April when I go to Dallas, I want him to have the blog devoted to him alone.

I did get a few pictures today, so I'll post a few. I should get more over the next few days, too.