Loving my Oldies

LOL @Little Gifts think of your post as I look at the amazing progress this little Sooty has made. Sunday week ago, I was frightened she might have been too far gone, wondered at the condition of her organs, etc etc. She is the definition of progress. I have a fairly large back yard with the bins and compost heap down against the back fence and screened by plants. I was coming back from taking some rubbish down and, as I rounded a pathway, there was Sooty stepping down from the last step!!! I’m totally amazed at her growing confidence, but, as you say .... she is wanting to explore and find out about her new surroundings. If it hadn’t been like a furnace outside, I would have left her (watching of course) to see if she would make her own way back up again. It is much to hot for experiments .

That’s insane. They seem to have completely lost the plot. However, lots trending on FB, so hopefully the organisation which governs charities and possibly the ATO will be on top of all this before too long.

I had to google refeeding syndrome . I have been very very conscious as to this problem and have fed small but often meals. We had one day when her poos where very sloppy, but not increased number-wise, so I added a bit of rice to her meals and it has quickly settled down. Because she is gaining weight, I have increased the time between meals to 5 hours instead of 3 hours and I haven’t given her the Nutrigel Bone Broth mix for a few days. She is now joining the other dogs in the kitchen when I am preparing their meals. We will be consulting the vet again as to when we can carry out all the necessary tests and profiles.

DAY 8 = 2.69kgs increase of 420grams. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it, but this evening I have witnessed two things that I did not expect to happen for several weeks, if at all. First thing was, I saw Sooty going through the doggy door out onto the deck. I watched her through the glass sliding doors as she wandered around a bit, did a #2 and THEN SHE CAME BACK IN. A little later I had taken her downstairs to have a little wander and left her to her own devices as she enjoying pottering around more and more. About 5 minutes later, I went to check and there she was with her front feet on the bottom step. After a couple of false alarms, she came up the stairs .... 8 of them. I have this on video so I could see it again tomorrow and believe it, otherwise I would have doubted it had happened.

It is already on FB so will share it far and wide.

It really is so sad. As the article said, at the beginning, PetRescue was brilliant. It would appear though that what they are doing is just fund raising to pay fund raisers and their own lives. They ARE deceiving the public, though: people DO think that the organisation they acquired their puppy, dog, cat, pet through IS PetRescue. They rarely grasp the idea that PR is just a platform for a rescue group to advertise the pet. Just recently I tried to explain this to someone who told me they’d “adopted their dog from PetRescue.” When I asked them who the actual rescue was, they were confused and said, “PetRescue.” I tried to explain the difference, but they weren’t really interested: they had a dog they loved and that was all they really cared about. Great for the dog, not so great for the organisation who’d done the hard yards. This article needs to be published far and wide. Next job today

Horrific. So sad.

She is with me just until she is strong and well enough to go to her forever home.

That’s what I mean. My other foster, Simba (Toy Poodle also) is 9 and he could play all day and he has had a deprived life. Sooty has had a very neglected life: just a skeleton, only 3 teeth, one eye removed and the other totally blind with glaucoma How does a little 12 year old get into such a state? Just absolutely breaking my heart.

With the information you have given us, mrmaxwalker, we could probably suggest a billion dogs. The main things any one need to know are: * what breeds appeal to you * how much exercise will you be able to give the dog * will the dog be left alone * do you have a dog friendly/safe home for the dog * are you prepared for the grooming needs of some breeds, eg Poodles, Maltese, Shih Tzus Other will have plenty more to add. Best wishes

When I was carrying Sooty upstairs after her “ablutions” break downstairs this morning, poor little Tamar was having a throwing up episode on the deck, so I quickly put Sooty on her bed and went to Tamar’s aid. After I took her into the kitchen to wipe her mouth and give her cuddles, I turned around to see Sooty at the water bowl; so she is now getting out of her bed and finding the water bowl . (Previously, I have always carried her to the water bowl and steadied her while she drank.) Yesterday I came out of the bathroom and she was at the door with the others which meant she’d come through the lounge area and down the hallway under her own steam. She is still very fragile and will be for a long time, I imagine, but her progress is very encouraging. Having had many old rescue dogs in the past, I find it hard to believe she is only 12 - particularly for a toy poodle Tamar and Mezza are 15 and compared with Sooty they look like puppies . Some old time DOLers might recall my toy Poodle Rover who I adopted when he was nearly 17 and he lived with us for another 3 years. Anyway, we will all be doing everything we can to ensure this little girl gets the best attention and hopefully becomes well again.

Just back from the vet. I had to collect some meds so I took Sooty to be weighed. I’m over the moon: she has put on 100 grams and now weighs in at a whopping 2.35kgs. Whoever invented Nutrigel needs to get a medal. Sooty is ravenous, but because she is so starved, I’ve had to be careful, so small meals often and supplemented with a mixture of homemade bone broth and Nutrigel via syringe. She is amazing: she is getting out of her bed and going for little wanders. Because of her condition, she tires very easily, so I don’t let her do too much.

On Sunday night a tiny little Toy Poodle came into care and foster at Myrtle Street. Nothing could have prepared me for the shock and horror, but the story will follow another time. Suffice to say that had I some money another foster carer and a vet (whose name I don’t know at this stage) would be finding themselves before the courts on charges of severe neglect and total dereliction of duty. In the meantime, meet Sooty: 12 years, completely blind, one eye removed and the other with a cataract and, what you can’t see from the photograph, skin and bone ..... little more than a skeleton on legs and one of those damaged and left untreated. fullsizeoutput_a63 by Cynthia Waters, on Flickr

You are not doing anything wrong, Sunny. You have a tiny puppy in your house.

That is such good news She is beautiful.

Delightful.

BUT LET US REMEMBER, THIS IS DOG BEHAVIOUR. HUMANS MUST NOT COPY. Yes, I am shouting because I really wanted to emphasise this.

I think we’ve all been there, Sunny. Our guilt is our punishment. You won’t do it again.

Most times, our anxieties are disproven LOL. I have a foster dog at the moment (male toy poodle) who, according to his rescuer, has spent his nine years in the back yard, no access to the house and just fed kibble. Taking this into account, I reckon he is doing brilliantly. Still the occasional pee in the house, but that is to be expected. All over the place on the lead out walking, but that is to be expected (and I am walking five little dogs). Goes apeshit when he sees other dogs, but absolutely loves people especially children. This will improve as he encounters more and more dogs and has more and more experiences. He has learnt a lot in the brief time he has been here too. I’m impressed. He does not jump up on the bed until invited, he does not jump up on me until invited and he goes easily into his crate for meal times (twice daily) - this latter really scared him initially. Main thing is not to expect too much (or too little), just remember where your new boy has come from, his limited experiences of all things, don’t over react, just behave normally and insert gentle training into everyday life and be consistent. Allow him to settle in for a day or two before you start insisting on whatever rules are the most important to you. And the main extra tip?? Have fun!!!

Just wonderful koala. These stories are so engrossing and uplifting. And to have so many adopters keep in touch!!! All down to you and the huge amount of love you put into it all. Loved the pix of Fraser and Finley and their “guardians”

Admittedly my experience is with small dogs, but I have never done the “meet on neutral ground” thing - I’ve always had too many of my own . New dogs have always been brought straight into the family. I have a large back yard though and generally shut my dogs away and let the new one explore and gradually let the others out as meeting half a dozen new dogs all scrambling to have a sniff can be a bit overwhelming .

Congratulations!! As RuralPug says: relax and enjoy them. Dogs will pick up on your nervousness and wonder what is wrong and will in turn become stressed. Easier written here than done . They’ll probably be so darned happy to have each other. Pix in due course, please.

You and me both, @PANDI-GIRL. Jeune is the most stubborn dogs I have ever known. I have seen her hanging over a bowl of food licking her lips and almost salivating. But if she decides she isn’t going to eat it, she won’t. I can SEE the difference in her weight in the past week, though, so I am very pleased with her.

8He looks beautiful in the photograph, Sunny. The diet as as you have outlined does seem to be a good one; perhaps you could give him a meaty bone from time to time as well - a big one so he can’t break it up or swallow pieces. Just so he can knaw on it for his teeth and enjoyment. You may not have many choices, but I would be looking at changing vets. Good luck. Your little Tuffy is much loved.

All the poos my dogs do in the yard are thrown in the compost heap. Never any smell.