Info Bar

info.rescueaboxer@gmail.com

Canadian Registered Charity #85269-7440RR0001

Monday, April 30, 2007

Dino Working



Dino is working very hard at learning to be a good boy! Here you can see him in our yard practising his "sit" command on our play structure. He is holding it very well while Chance sits in front of him and Winston our English Bulldog is healing back and forth in front of him. This picture was taken before Dino had met Winston as well. New distraction, new challenge!

Dino and Obedience

Hi Everyone!

I am going to do a running update on our boy Dino here until he is adopted. This will help interested families read more about him and for everyone else who is interested in watching how our little boy progresses.

Sunday April 29th was Dino's first obedience class. He was so excited when he first came out of the truck and wanted to run up to everyone and everything. I was a little suprised at how quickly he came under control. It was a small class with only two other dogs to distract him but a great start for Dino. We were working around another boxer and a papillon. In one class Dino was coming (even with the other dogs working around him), healing, sitting and doing a command called Place (a stay type command). Now none of these were perfect and he's far from trained but he proved to me today that he is a very smart little boy who really does want to please.

Today he got a chance to run around in our yard with one of our boxers and a 5 month old shep X pit puppy and he had a great time. Again he has no doggie manners and does not understand doggie language when he is told to back down. He just loves to play and doesn't understand that everyone else may not want to box to the full extent that boxers can box at. We did use this as a chance to work on his training and did many "comes" with him to get him out of the play when he started to play to rough.

I'm going to try and take some pictures of him in class later this week to post on the blog.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Tess (WBBR/BRLA Alumni) update



Hi Chantelle:

Thanks for your great information on dog food choices. I went to Pet Pals (Holistic Dog Food Store) and she gave me similar information. The owner said that she won't sell "Go Natural" any longer as they don't make their food in a separate plant from the other dog foods. I've moved Tess over to Natural Balance Allergy Formula and WOW what a different....no more rashes, itching (or visits to the vets) and her coat is so shiny. My girlfriend has Shelties (some of Tess' best friends) and was having problems with food issues and moved them over to Natural Balance when she saw the changes that it made to Tess' all around health. She is also singing the praises of Natural Balance.

Tess is going to be 2 next month (where has the time gone). She is one special little girl and I so appreciate having her in our lives. I've attached a few pictures of my 58 pound beauty.

Thanks for the input. I have one very happy dog. :)

Thanks again.

Lore

Susie Q (WBBR/BRLA Alumni) update


Good morning Chantelle, just a short note to let you know that Susie is doing well, she had 4 lumps removed by the Vets at Petroglyph animal Hospital this week (2 were level 1) but hopefully they got everything removed. So Susie is looking a little moth eaten (sporting a "Chuck Liddel" Mowhawk haircut) but she is healing very well with no infections etc. She also had her vaccines, shots etc brought up to date. She is one healthy, happy (& spoiled) pup. So anyway I just wanted to say Thanks again to you & everyone else. Jack

Dino Has Arrived


I picked Dino up yesterday and brought him home. Poor boy has spent his life living in a yard and has all the scars to prove it (concrete burns, fly bite wounds and calicious all over). His first Canadian home has done some work with him and we are going to pick up where they left off and continue. Dino will be starting obedience classes today! He will hopefully be joining a large group socialization class as well very soon. For now he's met a couple of my boxers and is doing great.


Because of his past I would liken Dino to a 60 lbs 8 week old puppy. Everything is new for him, smells, places, noises etc. He is quickly overwhlemed with the world around him and needs to be socialized with everything just as a family would socialize a new puppy.


He does suffer from a condition called Cherry Eye and will be heading in to the vet on Tuesday to have a check up. Cherry Eye is a prolapse and inflammation of the third eye lid which contains the tear duct. This condition will need to be surgically repaired.


This young boy just soaks up any and all attention he can get! He loves Connor (my 2 yrs old son) and covers him in kisses. This little boy is going to make someone very happy. He's a true diamond in the rough. He needs love and a family who is committed to obedience classes and socialization but he's going to be a wonderful new addition!

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Ty's Last Update


It's with a very heavy heart that I'm writing to let everyone know that Ty passed away this evening. Today at the vet Ty was listless but came around a little. A full blood panel was done and several x-rays. The blood work will be back in the morning and the x-rays were inconclusive. The x-rays did show blurring in the heart and the lungs near the first rib. Our vet made us aware that if the blurring in the lungs was a liason he would probably not make it through the night. Ty came home and cuddled with us on the floor in the kitchen, he seemed a little better but quickly deteriorated. Although unable to get up he continued to follow us with his big brown eyes and managed a couple of last tail wiggles. He passed away peacefully just before 9pm tonight.

Run free sweet Ty and know you were always home!

Socializaing new rescues

Lately we have had a few questions about socializing new rescue dogs and how to do it. I thought I would post some tips here for everyone to read:

When your new addition arrives it's very important to remeber that their entire life has just been turned upside down. Stress is a big factor for these dogs and this is not the time to be taking them to the dog park or anywhere there are lots of other dogs.

Start slow. You can't socialize a dog with other dogs if you can't control them. So the number one key thing to remember is to take your time! Your new addition needs to learn to trust you and you need to be able to call your dog and have them reliable come to you before you can start taking them to places where they are to encounter other dogs. If you think your dog is social that is great but not all dogs are. Also boxers play very differently from other breeds and often get themselves in trouble because of it. So if you can not reliable call your dog to you then you should not be taking them places where they can get themselves in trouble.

We strongly recommend taking your dog to obedience school. A lot of people believe they can train their dog on their own and we don't think they can't. Obedience classes though offer you an invaluable opportunity to work your dog close to other dogs in a controlled manner.

Always remember the key to socializing starts with training. A dog who is reliable in it's training is far easier to socialize then one that isn't.

Ty Update

Andrew took Ty up to the vet for 11am. He carried him out of the truck and in to the vet clinic. He's such a good boy and now trusts Andrew and I to do so much with him. Before he left I gave him a big pet and told him what a good boy he was. He lay on the table quietly and the vet started checking him over, his gums are colorless and he's quite limp. The vet found his abdomen to be very sensitive. Andrew left him at the vet so they could do more blood work, take xrays and observe him.

It is now 2:30 and he's started to come around. He's started drinking again but is still very quiet and prefers to lay down. I will be speaking to the vet around 4pm. Andrew will pick him up and bring him home if the vet gives him the okay on his way home from work.

An update on our foster boy Ty

Ty is not doing well this morning and Andrew is taking him up to the vet at 11am. He was doing great last night, from 7-8pm I had him out in the yard with 6 other dogs and he was running around and having fun. I brought the kids out and with Connor running in the mix I put him away and he cried at the gate to come back in and join the party. This morning I got up to go and get him from his kennel and he is listless. He has had diarrhea since he arrived. It's gotten better but it's still very mushy. I'm still adding pumpkin and yogurt to his food but he's back on kibble. About a week after he arrived he started drinking excessively and urinating constantly. He wasn't making it through the night. I didn't think much of it though since excessive drinking/urinating is a sign of thyroid issues and since we have been messing with his meds I wasn't really concerned. He was happy, his tail was wagging, he loved to come out for his walks and loved to work for me in the cul de sac. He was so proud when he figured out his heal and come. He just pranced on his leash when I'd take him out. This morning though he won't even lift his head, he follows me with his eyes. I lifted his big head back on to his bed as he was laying with it hanging off. I sat with him for awhile and told him he's a good boy and have had to leave him because my babysitting kids are here. I covered him with a blanket and turned the heat way up on the kennel as he feels cold to the touch. He's heading up to the vet at 11am (Andrew's coming home from a meeting to take him). If he gets here sooner he will take him sooner. I now think it's something worse and wish I'd done something sooner. I'm really worried that this big boy may not be coming home :-(

Thursday, April 5, 2007

WELCOME


Hi Everyone and welcome to our new blog! We would love to hear from adopters with updates, pictures etc. We'd also love to hear from anyone who loves boxers, has rescued a boxer, owns a boxer or just loves visiting our site! Go ahead and ask questions, everyone is free to give advice, answers etc. Lets have fun!!!!