15-Year-Old Becky Was Adopted!

Written by: Andrée Wagar
TAGS Foster Coordinator 

Becky was adopted this month, and while every adoption is wonderful, for me, this one is extra special.

As is usually the case in rescue, we don't know how Becky's story began, but we certainly know how it would have ended if she had stayed in the pound for even one more day. Her final few days would have been spent alone in a small enclosure with a cold concrete floor and soaked in her own urine before being euthanized. Instead, I took her out of the pound and brought her to TAGS. 

Becky is happy with her new family.
They adopted Ryella from us, as well.

Becky is an old dog. My best guess is that she is about 15. Her teeth are worn, her hips are weak, and her hearing is fading. But she still has a spark-a light inside her that shines out at the world when she looks at me and ambles over to say hello. In fact, it is impossible to stroke her now fluffy coat and not smile. She has that effect on everyone who meets her. As she gains weight and recovers from an infection, it is easy to see the dog she would have been in her prime.

She was surely a strong and loyal companion, because even though most of her physical strength is gone, she remains loyal, loving, inquisitive and eager to be around people.

No, we don't know how Becky's story began, but we now know how it will end because Becky has gone home with a wonderful, loving family who will show her compassion and give her the love and care she deserves in her final years, however many she has. She will get rides in the car, trips to the park and more than enough cuddles to keep her going-all easy enough to provide. In return, she will teach her new family and others the lesson that old does not mean useless and that even old dogs give unconditional love.

TAGS Awards: Part 1

Unbeknownst to the volunteers at TAGS, the adoptable pets had a party recently where they passed out yearbook-style awards to each other!

While I’m not 100 per cent sure why they would do this, I suspect it’s because every dog who is adopted through TAGS participates in a behaviour training class, and graduation day is very exciting for everyone involved. Perhaps the adoptable pets feel a bit left out and decided to throw themselves a party. Now that I know I wasn’t invited, I too feel a bit left out, but I digress… Luckily, I discovered their master list of winners and thought it would be fun to share with you! 

Below are the "Title" awards from that night. Be sure to check the blog again next Friday to find out who won for Best Bark, Best Coat, and more! 

Presenting...the TAGS Prom King & Queen! 

And the awards for Class Clown, Teacher's Pet, and Most Improved go to....

Click here for more about the
Puppy Room at Durham College and UOIT.

For more of Josie's story, read our post about Puppy Mill Dogs.

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To find out more about one of these fantastic adoptable pets, click on their picture above! Or, if you already know you're ready to adopt, visit our website to submit an adoption application.   

Wordless Wednesday: The Waiting Game

Gunnar at PetSmart, patiently waiting for a new family. 

This is a blog hop. Check out the other participating blogs by clicking on the image below.

Featured Adoptable Dog: Bessie

Our volunteer & foster mom Annetta sent us some useful information about her new foster dog, Bessie.

Bessie’s a doll! Very, very sweet. She’s going to make an amazing pet for some lucky family.

Bessie is a sweetheart

Walking & Obedience

She’s already figured out walking on lead. She runs to us when called, and we’re working on sit/stay and house training. There have been only a couple of accidents in the house,  which is great considering she just came here and she's still a puppy.

She LOVES to play, play, play (what puppy doesn’t?) and is a toy fanatic. I picked up a large rhino stuffy (half her size), and she carries it all over the place. We’re working on teaching her what is okay to grab and drag around the house or yard and what she should leave alone.

Crate Training

We’re going through the normal crate training stuff—lots of barking and howling when she goes in at night. She's still not wanting to go completely in when her meals are put in there.

Bessie is an exuberant barker when she plays, so I have a bark collar (beep and vibration) on her when she gets too noisy, and she's a major counter surfer (bark collar works for that, too!).

She's an absolute doll of a pup—a sweet, exuberant, yet cuddly girl who loves playing with other dogs and people. She will definitely need  a family who has the time to give her lots of exercise, playtime, and love, love, love!

The Tuckman Goes For a Late Night Walk-About!

Written by Annetta, our volunteer & foster mom.

You can never be cautious enough when it comes to your dogs. Some like freedom a little bit more than others, and it's easier than you think to lose sight of them. Our guest blogger Lindsey Sjouwerman shared some useful tips on how to prevent your dogs from running away.

Tucker is safe now! He is up for adoption!

On this note, we'd like to offer many, many thanks to Breanna Spence of Strandmore Circle in Brooklin for keeping TAGS dog Tucker safe and sound overnight when he decided to go for a late-night walk-about on his own last Monday night. His regular foster home is in Bowmanville, but he was staying with another TAGS volunteer in Brooklin for a week.

When the post went out that Tucker, a 3 1/2-year-old spring spaniel mix, was on the lam, TAGS volunteers converged in Brooklin and combed the neighbourhood. By 1 a.m., we realized he’d either made friends with someone out for a late evening stroll and was in their garage or home for the night, or he’d decided to bed down in one of the many deep brush/forested expanses in the area.

First thing Tuesday, volunteers were out again searching for him and putting up “lost dog” posters. There were still no sightings. Fortunately, there are many pet lovers in the neighbourhood, and since Tucker is microchipped, TAGS received a phone call in the early morning with the news that he was safe.

It turns out that he’d made friends with a neighbour at around 2:30 a.m. a few streets from where he'd started his adventure. The neighbour, Breanna Spence, realized he was a stray and wanted to keep him safe. She couldn’t bring him into her home, so this wonderful young woman slept in her car with Tucker until morning. Breanna then drove Tucker to the humane society, where he was identified through his microchip.

Not only was Tucker was kept safe, he also had the companionship of a caring, smart guardian. Way to go, Breanna! The Tuckman sends you lots of big kisses and high-fives, and TAGS sincerely thanks you for looking out for him!

Here is the link again for the blog post written by our guest blogger Lindsey Sjouwerman with some useful tips on preventing your dog from escaping.

Wordless Wednesday: Paws n' Hearts circa 2007!

Playing a game at the TAGS corn roast in 2007!
(The event is now called Paws n' Hearts, and this year it's on September 14.)

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This is a blog hop.

Click on the image below for more Wordless Wednesday photos!

Dogs Come in All Shapes and Sizes

Lindsey Sjouwerman – Marketing Coordinator, Speedpro Imaging Durham

Dogs are like people: they come in all shapes and sizes, at all fitness levels and with a wide range of needs. And just like us, dogs are subject to becoming obese and lethargic, so it is our responsibility to help them keep a healthy weight and exercise regularly. The degree of exercise intensity varies by the dog breed and age and weather conditions.

There are seven different categories of dogs. I will mention only four of the most common in this post (I'll cover the other three in my next post). Understanding a dog's category actually helps you understand what the dog needs, what his or her history is and the dog's tendencies. The more you know about your dog, the fewer surprises you will have as an owner, and the better off you and your pooch will be. 

Riley, my white retriever, playing fetch. He loves
being outside with the family. He's an extremely social dog.

Herding Dogs

Herding dogs are extremely intelligent and easily trained. They have an instinct to nip because this is how they control the animals they herd. They require lots of exercise, space to run and attention. Breeds such as Australian cattle dog, Australian shepherds, border collies and Old English sheepdogs fall into this category.

Sporting Dogs

These dogs have great instincts and talents for hiking, hunting, fishing and tracking. Dogs in this category need regular exercise as they are used to being very active.  Sporting dogs include English setters, golden retrievers and pointers.

Working Dogs

Working dogs need considerable space due to their large size. They are trained and built to aid humans by pulling sleds, protecting or guarding property and doing rescue work. Working dog breeds that come to mind are Saint Bernards, Siberian huskies, mastiffs, boxers and Great Danes.

Terriers

Extremely energetic, terriers tend to have little patience or tolerance for other dogs. Within this category, however, there is a wide range of behaviours and personalities to consider. Dogs in this category include Irish terriers, Australian terriers and bull terriers.  

Dogs are unique, and our choices affect them drastically. The more aware we are of their type and their needs, the better off they are. Not knowing what you’re getting into when adopting a dog is simply due to a lack of research. There are tons of websites that help potential owners find a dog suitable for their lifestyle.