Mia Semuta

The day started strong.  Phoenix continues to improve and show so much promise.

Her nighttime privileges expanded last night to include the entire upstairs.  She proved to be trustworthy and housebroken.  That makes me so happy on multiple levels!  She’s eaten both breakfast and dinner at her “table” next to Pony and Gigi without any signs of the resource guarding she was showing at the beginning.  She even shared toys and empty kongs with the other four dogs in the house today!  (Everyone was separated when the kongs were full, no sense tempting fate!)

One of our students, Jack, needed to be temperament tested.  Phoenix joined Pony and Gigi to do just that.  He aced it!  He will be joining us at group classes, playdates and pack walks.  Finally, at the end of the day, we took her to meet my nephew at the bus stop to test her around unknown kids.

It wasn’t great.

She did not hurt anyone, she didn’t even scare anyone.  However, she did show me that she’s not ready to be around kids on a regular basis.  I have to respect that.  Her adoptive family must not have children under the age of 13.  Perhaps in 6-months or a year, with continued training, she may be ready but it would be irresponsible to put her in that position now.  A family with kids will only set her up for failure; I refuse to allow her to be failed again.

Phoenix, you are loved and I will find the perfect family for you.

Please follow along on this blog as she completes the Good Dog Board and Train program.  Your kind financial support of Char-Wills in honor of this sweet girl is most appreciated.

Off-leash freedom!

Girlfriend is exhausted and snoring; she had two big playdates and a shopping trip today.  She is still struggling with “stay” but her recall and off-leash heel are spectacular.  I teach a command, “too far,” It’s just as it sounds.  When the dogs are enjoying off-leash freedom and they wander a little too far away, “too far,” brings them back closer.  It’s not “come” so they don’t have to return all the way and sit.  They just must be closer.  It allows them to continue to enjoy their freedom but also stay safe.  She aced it!

Squeeky toys have been a nasty trigger for her but she tolerated one at the hardware store today just fine, her nighttime privileges continue to be uneventful and she ate dinner next to her housemates instead of in her crate.  Brushing her teeth continues to be a battle but she was okay with having her ears cleaned.  In general, the only hurdle we have left to clear is her reactiveness around kids.  We plan to meet my nephew and his friends at the bus stop tomorrow and walk home.  Paws crossed!

Please follow along on this blog as she completes the Good Dog Board and Train program.  Your kind financial support of Char-Wills in honor of this sweet girl is most appreciated.

To celebrate 8-months, Phoenix went shopping today! 

She and four of her packmates went to Lowe’s for some practice amid distractions.  They are so gracious and welcoming to dogs, I do my best to patronize them whenever possible.  She did well.  Phoenix and Zach have really bonded.  She seems to look at him and know it’s work time; she’s so eager to please.  She looks at me and sees nurturing and comfort.  I’m okay with that.

We tried to perfect her “stay” command today.  It can only be described as an utter failure.  She is now so eager to be with one of us that she’s unwilling to allow us to walk away.  It’s pretty typical of dogs her age and in her stage of training so we’re not too concerned.  Recall and off-leash are fantastic!  Tomorrow she has a playdate with another puppy at a venue that will allow them to practice their off-leash skills.

She also helped to temperament test a new pack member but it was so crazy cold I couldn’t get any pics!  Suffice it to say she is expertly stepping into the mentor role, as well.  Finally, she got a visit from her friend, Willow, this evening.  It wasn’t a playdate because we stayed in but they worked hard to practice the art of doing nothing.  So proud of these girls!

Please follow along on this blog as she completes the Good Dog Board and Train program.  Your kind financial support of Char-Wills in honor of this sweet girl is most appreciated.

I’m sorry it’s been two days since my last Phoenix update. 

Please forgive me!  I had a crazy, packed weekend planned before I made the commitment to her.  Believe me, she had a great weekend with my pack and with visits, walks and lessons with Zach.  Oh, my, how she’s changed!

She loves to place, is doing fairly decent with stay, more than decent recall, has earned off-leash potty privileges and last night she earned nighttime privileges.  I put a baby gate across my bedroom doorway so she would be contained but so that Pony would not feel too confined.  He likes to tuck me in and then sleep in the hallway- likes to keep watch.  Phoenix jumped up on the bed at first, not sure what she enjoyed more: snuggling with me or annoying Gigi. 

At some point during the night she got down.  I had planned ahead and put down a potty pad just in case she needed it overnight.  I found her sleeping on it in the morning!  (It was still clean.)  She’s been prancy and dancy and really being a puppy.  She’s getting toys on her own, chewing on things she should and avoiding things she shouldn’t- most of the time. I watched her pick up a paperback book from the end table, trot into her crate and settle down to “read” it.  The silver lining here is that she surrendered it when asked without a fuss.

I haven’t even gotten to the good stuff yet.  Today I asked my 7-year-old nephew to join us at the park.  She was just delightful!  She not only respected him but obeyed him when he was her handler and gave her commands.  Admittedly, he is an above average handler.  He has a natural talent for training and is quite confident; dogs respect him.  I asked Jack if he thought I should find Phoenix a home with kids in it or a home with just adults.  He thought about it and said, yes, with kids as long as they, “don’t get in her face.”  I asked if he was frightened that she might bite him.  He said, “not really because she’s just a puppy and isn’t mean but she won’t do it anymore when she’s a dog.”  Finally, he offered that she should be the only dog in the house so she gets all the pets. 

I know, he’s seriously that awesome.  Be jealous. She’s got a full day of walks and lessons on her social calendar for tomorrow, I will do my best to update every day this week!  For now, it’s a super chilly, three-dog night here in south-central PA.  How lucky am I that I’ve got three of the best to snuggle with?

Please follow along on this blog as she completes the Good Dog Board and Train program.  Your kind financial support of Char-Wills in honor of this sweet girl is most appreciated.

I’ve been avoiding writing this update all day. 

There’s nothing wrong; she continues to progress by leaps and bounds.  I’ve been avoiding it because she met a family today that just might be hers.  Zach and I want to complete her basic training and we want to do some more tests to see if her reaction toward kids is situational nerves or actual aggression.  I’m pretty sure it’s situational but I’m not willing to bank on pretty sure.

They’re thinking about it and we will be working on it.  I know it’s the right thing to do, she deserves a family of her own.  It’s just that she climbed up on the couch to snuggle me while I was watching TV and was so eager to receive my affection.  This is the part of fostering that I conveniently forget every time I agree to do it again. 

Here’s your big takeaway tonight:  Char-Wills saved her life and I’m determined to make it the best life she could imagine.  It’s just going to take a little piece of my heart to do it.

Please follow along on this blog as she completes the Good Dog Board and Train program.  Your kind financial support of Char-Wills in honor of this sweet girl is most appreciated.

Rescue to 5K in 4 days.

I wonder if that’s a record?  I made a joke of the possibility on Sunday at class when I told the pack I was going to pick up a foster.  I didn’t believe it, either.  However, yesterday I was looking at the three dogs in my home at the moment.  Pony is 15-weeks post-op from ACL surgery; although cleared for unrestricted activity I think 3.1 miles is a bit much in the chilly November air.  Gigi would do it if I insisted but she doesn’t love crowds or cold wind.  Phoenix has been doing exceptionally well so after talking it out with one of the veterinary nurses in the pack, I decided she would get to go!

It was a great test for her.  She was uncomfortable at first.  It’s probably the first time she’s ever worn a coat but at not quite 50# and not quite 8-months-old, I chose to err on the side of caution.  She did her best to heel as told her to but I found her plastering herself to my leg instead of walking loosely at my side.  By the last mile she had settled in; she was particularly happy when we walked in a tight pack with the people and dogs she has quickly come to know as her friends.

It was loud and long and cold.  She was brilliant!  She posed beautifully on place with her packmates after we crossed the finish line. When we got home, she chugged a bowl of water and ran out back for a long pee.  (She still will not eliminate on the leash, only on the tie out back.  Never in the house <knock wood> so there’s that!)  She also climbed up on the couch for a snuggle and nap with Pony & Gigi.

There is a family coming to meet her tomorrow.  They’ve already completed an application and they are committed to continuing her training.  I’m struggling.

This isn’t my first foster experience.  I’ve been both a success and a failure.  It’s not in either hers or my family’s best interest for her to remain with me, even though I do love her so.  My family is full and I need to allow for other students, and fosters, to join us for spurts of time.  I wish it got easier to let them go.  It never does.  But you know what?  Nothing ever worth having comes easy.  If it didn’t hurt like hell then was it even love?  Nope.  I love you, Phoenix; I’ll miss you but I’m so excited to know that you’re going to be amazing and have the most spectacular life with a family tailor made for you.  For that, I am thankful.

Please follow along on this blog as she completes the Good Dog Board and Train program.  Your kind financial support of Char-Wills in honor of this sweet girl is most appreciated.