Foster Journal
February 2003: Possibilities
For Murray
February 4, 2003
Is Murray still available, Amy?? just checking... have no immediate
home for him, but you never know...
---
Yes, he's still with me. He is a typical adolescent
with tons of energy. =) His fear barking is greatly diminished,
which gives me hope of finding a great home for him. (That's why
the previous home returned him.) He is very comfortable with his
crate, so the separation anxiety will not be an issue as long as
the new home continues to use a crate.
Anyone looking for a gorgeous, active one year old to get your older
dogs to run around like puppies? Look no further! He is, without
a doubt, my favorite foster ever. I think he's Brin's favorite, too.
I will hate to see him go, but he needs more attention than he is
getting here. I've had him for months and haven't bothered to teach
him more
than "sit" and "down" and "shake." He
learns fast and is food- and praise-motivated. Please send any qualified
adopters my way!
Thanks for asking about him!
February 11, 2003
I've attached a poster for my foster dog, Murray. I'm sure you'll
have a lot of potential adopters there for the telethon, so hopefully
someone will see his picture and fall in love! I will be out of town
this weekend, so I can't bring him in for the telethon. I was going
to ask if I could just drop him off before I leave on Saturday, but
I decided it would be better if I can meet any potential adopters
and talk with them about Murray's issues (separation anxiety and
fear
barking). He was already placed once and returned because of the
fear barking. He had trouble readjusting when I got him back, so
I want to make sure his next placement is permanent.
I am torn because I would love to keep Murray, but my "significant
other's" patience
is wearing thin. :( So I need to place him, but I will only let him
go to an above-average home. I will be back Sunday evening and can
meet any interested parties starting on Monday.
Thanks a bunch!
February 17, 2003
Hello!
My name is Joni, and I am inquiring about Murray! Is he still
up for adoption... My husband and I are looking for another "snuggley" pet,
and a "buddie" for our Beagle puppy. Please let me know.
Thanks,
Joni
---
Hi Joni!
Yes, Murray is still available. He is definitely a snuggler,
and I'm sure he would have a great time playing with your pup!
He's a wonderful dog but has a few qualities that make him a little
more challenging than the average dog. He has separation anxiety
and *must* be crated when he is left alone. This is not optional.
He will chew if he is loose and unsupervised. He is very comfortable
in the crate, so you don't need to feel bad about crating him.
Secondly, he is fearful of strangers. Sometimes if he feels threatened
(usually happens in the house because he feels like he can't excape),
he will put on a huge display of barking at your guests. He has never
bitten, and I would not place him if I felt he was at high risk for
becoming a biter. He has gotten a lot more comfortable with meeting
new
people in the past few months. Just this past weekend, I took him
to visit my family. The first time he met them (several months ago),
he was very shy and barked a little. This time he gave one "woof!" and
went up to everyone with a wagging tail. So he just needs a little
time to get used to new people.
It is possible that he will bark at people sometimes, and you can
help him learn not to be afraid. I can give you some tips on things
I have done to help him feel more comfortable with new people. The
previous home had good intentions but decided to return him after
he barked at a guest for the first time, instead of doing the necessary
training and socialization. It is not a huge problem (he's a *really*
sweet dog -- you'll see!) but I want to make sure you are aware of
it, because I want his next placement to be his permanent one!!
I recommend a fenced yard for him. Since he was found as a stray,
he apparently does have a tendency to roam if given the opportunity.
If you don't have a fence, you'll need to take him outside on a leash.
You should also have some sort of double-door system (for example,
a gate on your porch) to prevent an escape if he slips through the
door. He has never had an opportunity to get loose from me, so I
can't say for sure what he'd do. He comes to his name pretty well.
But I wouldn't want to risk it near a road, and certainly not without
some more training on the recall.
I certainly don't mean to dwell on the negative. Murray is an awesome
dog, and I would keep him myself if my boyfriend would agree! He
is a typical adolescent, which means he has tons of energy and is
always looking for something to do. He is very trainable (he would
be a great candidate for obedience or even agility classes) and extremely
playful and lovable. He is wonderful with other dogs, and even likes
cats. One of my dogs is a beagle mix, so he is used to playing with
dogs of that size.
If/when you meet Murray, you'll see how wonderful he is. I expect
him to be a little shy with you at first, so it would be great if
you could visit him more than once. We can let him meet your pup
and see how they get along.
Murray is a really special dog. I have fostered about 15 dogs over
the past 2 or 3 years, and this is the one that I have bonded with
the most. That's why I'm being so careful about his placement. I
want him to go to somebody who will appreciate how special he is,
and who is willing to do a little bit of training to make him even
better. Above
all, I want him to go to somebody who will snuggle with him a lot,
because that is what he lives for!
Where do you live? We could meet here, or
at your home, or at the humane society. My favorite place to meet
is at
the dog run in Frick Park, but I think the snow might make it difficult
to get there! I am available evenings and weekends.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
February 20, 2003
Hello Amy! I am currently at work, and have to attend a meeting
this morning! Could you please send me your phone number, or call
me at work? I would definitely like to speak with you about MURRAY!!!
Thanks so much, and for getting back to me so quickly! I have been
out the past two days at a seminar, so that is why I haven't responded!
Hope to hear from you soon! Thanks again! Joni
February 20, 2003
My name is Elizabeth, and for the past few months
my husband and I have been falling in love with Murray on the pghdogs
website. We have a 1 year old female collie-shepard mix
named Gracie who absolutely adores other dogs, and we have been thinking
about getting a companion dog for her to have a permanent friend.
I want to tell you a little about our situation and ask a few questions,
and perhaps we can set up a meeting and can figure
out if Murray would be the right dog for us.
My husband
and I live in Bloomfield in a duplex with a totally fenced in yard,
which is great for Gracie. My husband is a graduate student
and I am a medical student. We are both gone as late
as 5 PM on weekdays (a lot of the time one of us gets home a few
hours
early, but Gracie has at least 4 hours of "alone" time).
During that time Gracie is restricted to the kitchen, however we
do not crate her. We noticed that she had a lot more
anxiety in her crate during the day than if she was lying on her
bed in the
kitchen.We crate her when we go to bed at night, although
she's allowed on the bed to snuggle before lights go out. She takes
agility classes, which she loves, and which we would also like
to enter Murray into if we were to get him.We also take her to
Frick Park at least 2 times a week, so she can go to
the fenced-in dog area to socialize with other dogs. She is a high-energy
dog who loves to play. She is also
EXTREMELY submissive to other dogs, and always a target of any
dog who is aggressive.
For this reason, we could not have an aggressive dog. But a dog
who she gets along with is her instant best friend. She is also
very friendly towards other people, and I think she would serve
as a great role model for Murray in this aspect
Could you tell me a little more about Murray, and, regarding
the information that I have just given you, what your thoughts
are about Murray's fit for our household. We are VERY interested
in him, and we would like to meet him, and introduce Gracie if
you think it could be an appropriate setting for him. Thanks
so much for your time, I really appreciate it!
Sincerely,
Liz
February 22, 2003
Hi Joni,
I wish I could give you a definite answer about Murray but I still
don't know! The people who met him today really liked him, but
they were not sure if their dog liked him or not. They thought
that their dog was acting a little shy and intimidated by Murray.
So we decided to give them a few hours to get to know each other
and see if their dog
becomes more comfortable. Hopefully by this evening they will have
made a decision.
I'm sorry I can't tell you anything more definite! If they decide
not to adopt him, you are definitely next on my list. If they do
adopt him, I would be more than happy to help you locate another
great dog. I have a lot of "internet buddies" who are involved
with dog rescue.
I'll let you know as soon as I know anything.
Thanks for your patience.
February 24, 2003
Good Morning, Amy! I did receive your message at home over the weekend.
I apologize for not
getting back to you, but this weekend was a little hectic! (Did you
call "after" they made their decision?) I still would like
to see Murray, but unfortunately it will have to wait until the weekend!
My husband is on afternoon shift, and I would really like for him
to be there, too! Please let me know the status, and I will touch
base with you to see if this Saturday will be okay to meet with you
and Murray! Thanks for keeping me posted! Joni
---
Hi Joni,
Yes, Murray is still available. I left your message after he had
spent several hours with the other couple and their dog. They decided
he was *too* playful! The interaction between the dogs was great,
in my opinion. Their dog did *not* seem intimidated. So I'm not
sure exactly what they were expecting!
Saturday would be fine. We could meet either at your home or at
the humane society. I would like to give your pup and Murray a chance
to get to know each other, and I'm not sure how much space we would
have at the shelter. Maybe we should plan to meet at your home on
Sat, and then at the shelter on Sunday to finalize the paperwork
if he is a good match for your family? Let me know what you think.
I forgot to ask -- do you have a fenced yard?
Looking forward to meeting you!
February 25, 2003
Hi Amy!
Well, should we say that we are on for Saturday? My husband and I
have an appointment in the morning (9:30 a.m.), so we can meet
at the house around 12 Noon. Please let me know if this is okay
for you.
As far as a fence, we do not have one at the present time.
Although, that is our "1st" priority as soon as the weather
permits! We need one for our "little one"...his
nose gets him in trouble! So, a fence has been on our list of "1st" things
to do before Spring!
I do have one question for you, since you are
experienced with animals. We have had Baley since Christmas.
He will be...actually, he is 4 months old today!!! Well, he is very
spoiled...do you think bringing another around will make him jealous
or different? The only reason I ask, which I should have thought
about this earlier...he is doing so well,
I don't want to alter his personality. (I just know that he would
love a playmate because he plays with all the neighbor dogs, (BIGGER)
ones, too!
Let me know what you think...
Have a good day!
Joni
---
Noon sounds fine. Please send directions. I definitely recommend
the fencing when you are able, and until then, Murray would need
to be taken out on leash. He doesn't seem likely to bolt, but I'm
almost certain he would play keep away.
I think Baley would be fine w/another dog in the house, and actually
it is smart to introduce a new dog while Baley is still so young.
If you waited until he was older, he might have more trouble adjusting.
But also keep in mind that it is tough having two young ones at once!
Murray is full grown but still has some puppyish behaviors (mainly,
he's very active and curious). I recommend obedience classes for
both dogs (maybe you and your husband could each take one dog?) because
two dogs can get on your nerves a lot faster than one! Be prepared
for lots of rowdy, noisy play -- but it's great if you can tolerate
it, because the two dogs will wear each other out and sleep great
at night! I think our visit on Saturday will give you a pretty good
idea of what to expect.
Murray is a real sweetheart and I think you'll love him. He loves
other dogs so I think he and Baley will get along fine. My dogs keep
up with him for most of the evening, but he wants to keep playing
when they are ready to nap. (They are about 5 yrs old.) So a young
pup like Baley might be just what Murray needs!
Did we talk about crates? Murray definitely needs one for when no
one is home, and he is much happier in the plastic type.
Next
