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April 13, 2016 update: On Sunday night, we had to say goodbye to Odie. It was very unexpected. He had developed an aggressive form of Lymphoma. There was no other choice. You may recall
Odie's story. He pawed his way into our hearts at the end of 2013. Chubby little, loveable little, super friendly little Odie
had been picked up as a stray in the summer of 2013 by the good people at City of Vaughan Animal Services. They thought he'd
easily find a loving home, but Odie started to show signs of severe allergies. He was itchy all the time. He scratched so
much, they think he caused a cruciate ligament tear. Odie would need surgery and that meant he was no longer adoptable to
the general public. But Odie was a magical boy.
The shelter contacted us about him
and then they contacted Dr. Corrigan of the Thornhill Veterinary Clinic on our behalf. Dr. Corrigan offered to perform the
cruciate ligament surgery at no cost. See what I mean about magic? But it didn't end there. We were scrambling to find a foster
placement for Odie. He would need a special someone willing to endure the lengthy aftercare involved. We found her. Tracy
was a close family friend of board member Deanna. She went through the same post-op care with her own dog, Zach. She knew
she could do it again for Odie. Not only that but she wanted to do everything she could to help Odie with his allergies which
were likely food-related. The only thing was, Tracy lived in Ottawa - a long way away from Thornhill. But
Odie was a magical boy. Tracy didn't hesitate to make the long drive back and forth from Ottawa for the love
of Odie. Before she met him, she thought she'd only be his foster mom for the time he needed. She thought she'd get him through
the post-op and get him all better so he could be adopted to a good family. But Odie waved his magic wand. He was so good
at that. A little over 2 years isn't very much in our eyes. But not to Odie. To Odie, it was a lifetime
of pure magic! But I'm not the one to tell you all about that. Odie's Mom Tracy tells it so much better…
Hello All, It has been a long night full of reflection, grief and happy memories.
I just wanted to share a few things before I close my eyes and thank you all for the wonderful opportunities that I have had. My first foray into the world of BOB was hosting a weekend guest
and transporting him to Howling Heights. That first beagle was Budley (aka Buddy). I felt privileged to have a
small part in rescuing such a sweet boy. I delivered him on July 1, 2013 and got to meet the wonderful Marna Gale and
family. Sent: July-01-13 8:04 PM
To: Marna Gale
Subject: Hello
Hi Marna, Just wanted to drop you a quick line, it was really great to meet
you and Bill today. You are exactly how I pictured you, vibrant and full of life with a quirky entourage of beagles. Hope you made it home without and problems. Let me know how Buddy does at the vets. Take care, p.s. you should check your guests pockets when they
leave, I almost stole a beagle. Lol J TC That
was the start of one of the most rewarding times of my life. On November 27th, 2013 Deanna sent me a picture
and an email; this would change my life forever. From: Deanna Sent: November-27-13 4:06
PM
Subject: Fwd: [beagles-221] Rehab Foster Home Needed for Odie! Hey Tracy, Just off the hip....since you`ve dealt with Zack and his torn ACL....  December
14, 2013 I had the privilege of welcoming Odie into my home for what was supposed to be a temporary stay. So after dealing
with his allergies, rehabbing after surgery, rolling in dead things and snoring like a mac truck, I made the decision that
on July 14, 2014, I would no longer be Odie’s foster mom. Odie was about to be made an official member of the
Carver Family. > -----Original Message----- > From: Tracy > Sent: Monday, July 14, 2014 8:13 PM > Subject: Chronicles from Fosterville: All goods things must end >
> Hello Ladies, > > Hope everyone and the beagles are all doing well. So for the bad news > first...I can no longer be Odie's foster mom. > > I have been waiting for the "perfect family" to come along and adopt > Odie; a family that would keep him active, be home during the day etc. > I realized that the perfect family just wasn't out there for him and >
to keep him in limbo isn't fair to the little boy. > > What I realized is the perfect family doesn't stay home all day or
> have
kids running around to play with him. The perfect family loves > him no matter what
he damages or what kind of antics he gets into. > The perfect family
treasures his strengths and forgives his short comings. > > > > > The perfect family
isn't out there because they are already here. There were many tales that
I shared and at the end of each pupate from the Chronicles from Fosterville, each sign off tells the story of our life together: From: Odie the Wanderer, Zach His Highness of Duufus and me. From: Odie O, Zach His Highness of Duufus and me. From: Odie the connoisseur of fine refuse , Zach the
snitch and me, aged and slightly forgetful From: His Highness Odie Sly Fox, Zach the court jester and Me, the fool From: The Divine Mr. Odie, Rip Van-Zachy and me, shaking my head
slowly in wonder. From: Odie of the perpetual motion, Zach-I’m innocent honest and me, long suffering but getting love in return From: Zach the country gentleman, Odie
the hunter/howler and me DIY fence builder and protector of rabbits. From: Odie-the convict, Zach-there’s no place like home and me…wet, irritable
and laughing on the inside From: Odie, free at last, Zach missing life on the inside, me, privately chuckling From: Odie-Sweet Smelling Now, Zach-tired but happy
and Me, local funeral director From: Odie, Mezzo Soprano Zach, kibble-breath and me wet behind the ears. From: Odie, hunter at large, Zach, laughing on the
inside and me, long suffering, but loving every minute. From: Odie, silent but speedy, Zach no-playing around and Me, shaking my head with laughter I have been incredibly blessed to have had such amazing
pets and people in my life and as hard as it was losing Odie, I know that he was very happy and contented. So for the
final time I sign off… From:
Odie, walking the rainbow bridge, Zach missing his butt-pillow, and me, sad and tired. Here's to you, Odie. Here's to the magic you brought to all of us.
May 31, 2014 - Chronicles from Fosterville Hello Again
Odie Fans, Congratulations to BOB on a very successful Woofstock! It was wonderful
to hear how well the fundraising went! So another beautiful spring day and here in Russell, we started
this day off like any other…a hot cup of tea and morning salutations. Odie greeted the day with a lovely howl
for the racoons, who we think are nesting in the tree, and a romp around the yard. Being Odie, he had to
find a smell that was soooo wonderful he had to spread it all over his body like cheap perfume on a hooker. I know you
are wondering what did he find in our yard??
Well it seems like we lost one of the baby birds and Odie had to smear the dead birdy smells all over
his body, not once but multiple times. I never know whether to laugh or cry; this beagle certainly keeps me on my toes!
So after a
quick capture and burial, life went back to normal with both of the boys sunning while I cut the lawn and did various chores.
A quick game of find the ball left the boys tuckered out and while I am writing this they are sharing a single dog bed snoring
away.
Hope you all have a great weekend!
From Odie-Sweet Smelling Now, Zach-tired but
happy and Me, local funeral director May 26, 2014 - Chronicles from Fosterville (aka pupdate from Odie's long-suffering Foster
Mom):
So by now, you probably have read both of my emails from last week and just because
it’s me - nothing runs as smoothly as it should. So Shredder aka Odie doesn’t have a problem being
in the crate, but he has a bad habit of tearing the blankets into tiny little pieces. I much rather prefer this
to him going through the window screens (have to replace 2). It seems the beagle can get quite destructive when left
alone. I believe this behaviour is attributed to his feeling like this is home and therefore open for destruction. Lol When he was
a guest, he had perfect manners. Now that he is just another of the non-rent paying members of this family, I guess he feels
safe enough to do a little demo work. So I was getting ready for bed and went to wake up Odie to let him out for
his bedtime pee. He looked up from his spot on the bed and then went back to sleep. Zach was already downstairs
so he went out and eventually I went back to my office. Ready for bed, I go looking for Zach since I hadn’t heard
him come back up and where did I find my boy….? Curled up fast asleep in the crate. I think I need to bring
out the second since it seems like he misses having his own.
Only in my world!!
Have a great week!
Odie, free
at last, Zach missing life on the inside, me, privately chuckling
May 22, 2014 pupdate from Odie's Foster Mom: Hello Odie
Fans! I bet you are wondering why another update so close on the heels of the last escapades from sleepy
little Fosterville. Well, to be honest, I wasn’t planning on another one so soon and especially one sent during
the middle of the day when I should be in my rat maze working hard to earn kibble and doggy treats. It all started with
a phone call; actually I ignored the first call, so really it started with the second phone call to say that my beagle was
on the loose.
How did
this happen?? You ask, when by all accounts I am a fairly responsible person…Beagle ingenuity!! That’s how!
So I have a routine once the dogs come in, I hang Odie’s lead on the handle of the patio door. Never thought anything
of it and because Russell is a low crime town, I don’t bother to lock the back door since a person would have to climb
over the fence to get in the yard. The fence stops people from getting in, but it's not geared to keeping wondering
beagles from getting out. My plan was to DIY the fence this weekend and so off to work I went without a care in the
world.
Anyway,
back to Odie…the beagle, I am not calling him by name right now as I fluctuate between anger, laughter and wonder…
Mr. Beagle must have pulled the right way on the lead and was able to pull the door open…freedom and some very stinky
stuff awaited him.
I received
calls from one family that spotted him and got my number from his tag, but they didn’t hold on to him…not
sure why when you are close enough to get the number and call, but whatever. The second good Samaritan captured him
and brought him to my neighbours where Sue held on to the boy until I could get home, breaking a few laws to get there.
Since I knew Odie was safe, my concern was for Zach since he was naked when I left him…fortunately my good boy did
not follow Odie and was resting comfortably on his lounge chair waiting for someone to bring him a frozen banana.
Now we get to the “jail” portion
of our tale…since little dog is too smart for both of us, he will be crated from now on when I am not home. Did
I forget about the stinky part? Mr. Beagle not content to just wander the neighbourhood rolled in some particularly
pungent manure to no doubt ensure that he would remember his journey with fondness…so while I sit here pant-less and
eating my lunchm I can only shake my head and chuckle and thank goodness for living in a small town.
Bye for now,
Odie-the convict,
Zach-there’s no place like home and me…wet, irritable and laughing on the inside.
May
21, 2014 pupdate from Odie's Foster Mom: Good evening Odie Fans, It has been
a very busy time over here in the capital city. Spring has officially landed and here in Fosterville, we marked the
occasion with a rousing rendition of off to the hunt at 5:30 am. So obviously there is a story here because life would
be pretty boring if everything ran like clockwork.
It was a gorgeous early morning and all in the house were up and getting ready to
start the workday. I, with my cup of tea in hand, escorted the lads out to watch the sun come up and listen to the birds
starting their morning song. A peaceful start to the day; the kind of mornings that musicians write songs about.
And then the beagle spotted his prey and went galloping across the yard at full speed and braying for the hounds of hell to
follow him!! He tree’d two raccoons from the neighbouring yard! Little Odie was quite pleased with himself…unfortunately
my neighbours not so please when they joined me out on their deck to see what the commotion was. Thankfully dog lovers
abound in the sleepy little town of Russell and there were praises from across the fence congratulating Odie on a job well
done!
Since
I like my neighbours, we have kept the greeting of each new day to a time when most people are awake so as not to become the
house with “the hound”. We now start our mornings outside at a respectable 7am.
Now that the
good weather is here, not everyone wants to spend the day inside…with keys and briefcase in hand, the last two pictures
are what greeted me when I called for the boys to come inside because it was bedtime, off to work I must go…sad droopy
faces and a small moment of stubbornness from the Bully, everyone came in and got settled for a day of dreaming until dinnertime.
This weekend
will be making the backyard beagle proof to give the little one the freedom of running around off leash when I am out with
them. I didn’t realize how may escape routes there are in my fence, since Bullies tend to stay close to their
people, mine have never ventured out of the yard. The beagle is enjoying all of the smells and secrets to be found in
the yard.
Thank goodness the rabbits have relocated!! Hope all is
well with beagles and the people who love them.
Bye for now, Zach the country
gentleman, Odie the hunter/howler and me DIY fence builder and protector of rabbits. April
21, 2014 pupdate from Odie's Foster Mom: Life here in Russell is always interesting with a beagle in
the house. I have so many stories that I don’t even know where to start. The rabbits are winning and I need
to beagle proof my fence! I have included a video of Odie and am hoping that it brings a smile to your face
as it did mine when I first saw him and had to run to find my phone.
More later! Take care, Tracy, Odie
and Zach
Odie's April 2014 video!
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| Odie with his new house-mate, Zach! |
March 17, 2014 Pupdate from Odie's Foster
Mom: So hello Odie Fans! I apologize for not sending an update sooner but we have been busy trying to save the rabbits from Odie and Odie from
the rabbits, (that will be our next update). Well the lad is healing very nicely from his surgery and has taken a couple
of test steps on his leg. As always there is nothing that I can say about this little boy that I haven’t already
said; he is such a sweet, quiet, little guy that I don’t even mind when he can’t make a decision about going upstairs
or downstairs 10 times in an evening. Lol
So I have changed Odie to a grain-free, chicken, beef, lamb free diet. The salmon/sweet potato
did wonders for his skin, but I noticed that one of his ears was still yeasty. He has been on the new food for 2 weeks
and his ears are clear and his skin looks great; no pustules, no scratching and he loves it so that was a win-win all around.
Next will be getting him used to regular teeth brushing. So what have you missed…I have been
trying to get a good picture of Odie, but as you will see, not an easy thing. I think he is getting leery every time
I walk by nonchalantly with my phone in hand trying to sneak a snapshot.
So have you ever wondered about those parents that see their child in an uncomfortable/embarrassing/funny situation
and you wonder…why didn’t that moron help the child instead of getting the camera and filming/snapping away?
I must admit that for a second, okay maybe two seconds, I almost became one of those people. So picture this…I
leave the house to go out and run a few errands and as I pull out the driveway - what has become a typical scene, Zach
and Odie on the ottoman watching me leave is the last thing I see. As it turns out, I realize that I forgot my list
and dash back home and run in the front door and then I stop in my tracks.
Several things
went through my mind…what the heck?? Oh no! Is he hurt!!?? Where the heck is my phone when I need it!!
I know you are wondering what visions greeted me upon my unexpected foray into the world of the surreal…Odie stuck
with the screen from the window over his head, spinning around trying to get it off. I will give you a moment to stop
laughing as this was a serious dilemma…do I help said little dog or do I try and capture the moment for posterity sake.
Well, the logical side won out and I saved the dog from the screen. We had a long talk about little dogs' heads and
where they do or do not belong. As always, he listened attentively, nodding in all the right spots, looking seriously
deep in thought. So, I added to Beagle Proof Home Improvement List - stronger screen material for the front window.
Also seriously considering a Go-Pro camera to follow him around all day.
Well, that’s
all for now! I have to try and commandeer a spot on the bed.
Have a great week from, Odie of the perpetual motion, Zach-I’m innocent
honest and Me, long suffering but getting love in return
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| Odie chilling post-surgery! |
February 26, 2014 Pupdate: Odie had his cruciate ligament surgery last week and he's doing
wonderfully! There are no words good enough to express our gratitude to Dr. Kevin Corrigan of Thornhill Veterinary Clinic
for offering to do this surgery at no cost to us. Dr. Corrigan - you are an angel! With the enormous costs we're incurring
on our Kentucky Trio for their lengthy heartworm treatment, this incredible act of kindness means far more than we can explain.
We would also like to thank beyond words, Odie's angel of a foster mommy - Tracy! I think you'll agree she's the
other angel to this miracle story. Check out her latest pupdate below. It's way too inspirational not to share…
Hello
Marna!
So my latest in the Chronicles of Fosterville was going to be entitled “sly as a fox / outfoxed
by a beagle” but then I had the most wonderful experience tonight that trumped my original tale.
I went
to bed early and when I woke up, I was blanketed by pups! It was the warmest (not just the temperature) most serene feeling
waking up to Odie breathing softly, his head on my chest, and Zach curled into my stomach snoring away. If I could bottle
that moment I would; I think that this is the closest I have been to feeling pure unadulterated joy and serenity in a long
time. It’s moments like these that make everything we do for our beloved animal friends so worthwhile.
And then the beagle outfoxed me with a scheme of my own making…
Odie is such a fast learner that his level
of understanding and ability to read me (insert “sucker”) is amazing. So we have a new routine where I let him
know that I am going to pick him up, one hand at the front, then he puts his paws over my arm and the other goes through his
legs so his operated-on leg isn’t jostled. We do this when it is time for meals and feeding. When he is ready to go
back upstairs, he paws my leg and we repeat the process until he is back in bed.
Where does the sly fox come
in? Odie’s ability to get me to act as his personal chariot is astounding…he just has to whine, paw or look up
at me and I do his bidding without question. I wonder who the boss really is sometimes?
The good news is that
he is staying immobile except when necessary and for those times when he has to move, I carry him to where he wants to go,
like when he decides just after he has settled back upstairs that he wants to smell the fresh air in the backyard…I
trudge back down thinking he has to pee again and what??? No pee, just taking in the fresh air!! Then he paws me once he has
had enough and the chariot transports him back to his comfy bed.
I have exactly 13 stairs from the top floor
to the main level and Odie is 32lbs (currently on a diet), so I am getting more exercise than I really wanted. The fun part
comes when Zach has been watching Odie and he too wants to be carried; a 30lb beagle is so much easier to cradle than a 75lb
bully.
Hoping my ability to be played wears out before my back!
All the best, until our next pupdate…
His Highness Odie Sly Fox, Zach the Court Jester and Me, the fool
From Dr. Corrigan to Odie's Mom to all of YOU We
sure are one lucky bunch
Jan 30, 2014: Odie's Media Debut! Enjoy
a sneak preview of Marna's Feb 2014 article for her BEACH METRO NEWS column - "PET OF THE MONTH!"
PET OF THE MONTH!
To be published in the Feb, 2014 issue of BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
This is Odie. He’s supposed to be a Guinea Pig. Rest assured he’s a
perfectly capable understudy with high hopes of making the lead role of “Pet of the Month” his very own.
Slammed
with yet another snowstorm-of-the-century last weekend, I couldn’t make it to Blackstock to shine the spotlight on the
intended star of this article. The illustrious “Sage” of Wiggles Guinea Pig Rescue was understandably
opposed to meeting me at an undisclosed location in such inclement weather. There’s nothing remotely attractive about
icicles forming on one’s whiskers during an interview. Clearly, she’s getting comfortable with superstar status
thanks to her entourage of doting rescuers she calls fans. Pampered piggy sends her regrets and kindly asks that you stay
tuned for her highly anticipated pig-notic performance coming soon to a future Beach Metro article nearest you!
In
the meantime, Odie is only too happy to point the spotlight on him. He really does shine like a diamond when given the opportunity.
Opportunity
is the key word when it comes to this deserving beagle. Had it not been for a series of unexpected opportunities presented
to Odie just when he needed them most, I wouldn’t have had a fallback plan for this snow-blocked article because there
would have been no Odie. After reading this article, I’m sure you’ll agree - a world without Odie would be like
a stage without a star.
It was the tail-end of November when a long-awaited opportunity was about to knock for Odie.
He’d been rescued off the streets by the City of Vaughan’s Animal Services in July. That was his first golden
opportunity, although it probably didn’t look that way to Odie. All that glitters is gold and not much glitters inside
an animal shelter, despite the fluffy blanket and toys decorating his concrete kennel. He was lonely AND itchy. He either
had a bad case of fleas or was suffering from a skin allergy. When fleas were ruled out, the shelter’s veterinarian
prescribed medicated shampoo and antibiotics which seemed to help. The staff grew fond of the dog they named Odie, considering
the bathtub-bonding that followed. They fully expected he’d find a loving home, until one day in late fall when they
discovered him limping. Odie had somehow torn a cruciate ligament in his knee, likely the result of scratching. Odie had an
acrobatic flare for it, bending like a pretzel to get at particularly itchy spots. Regardless of how he did it, Odie was no
longer deemed “adoptable”. He needed surgery and that was not within the shelter’s budget.
The
curtain was about to fall on Odie when Angela, the shelter’s Volunteer Program Coordinator, remembered a conversation
she had with a local veterinarian a year prior - a veterinarian with a heart of gold. Dr. Kevin Corrigan of the Thornhill
Veterinary Clinic said that if they ever got a dog in the shelter in need of cruciate repair, he would be glad to do it at
no cost. Angela called him immediately.
This is and always will be remembered as a most generous and rare opportunity.
The cost of such an operation starts at $2,000. When Angela’s next phone call was to me at Big On Beagles (B.O.B)
Rescue, we were still recovering from multiple medical emergencies in 2013. Suffice it to say, Dr. Corrigan’s
incredibly kind offer literally saved Odie’s life. All Odie needed was just one more opportunity
through us to make it work. It was a big one, bordering on a miracle. We needed an experienced foster parent prepared to take
on the challenge of keeping a beagle “on simmer” for several weeks of rehabilitative post-op care. Even on the
coldest day, your average beagle risks flipping his lid from bubbling over. Odie’s foster mom would later report, “wrestling
a greased pig would have been easier than trying to get this little beagle to stay still for one minute.” And that
was just to take his picture for our web site.
Just before
Christmas, Tracy took the plunge and became our newest foster parent and Odie’s miracle opportunity! Not only had she
been through the same surgery with her own dog, a noble Bull Terrier named Zach, but she had also developed the perfect diet
to control Zach’s allergies. Tracy had the experience needed, together with one howl of a sense of humour which
is essential to surviving life with a beagle! Odie’s allergies flared up
just before we took him into our rescue so we’ve had to postpone the operation. It should come as no surprise that,
for Odie, the delay has translated to a dazzling detour into the land of opportunity! Here are a few snap-shots of Odie’s journey
so far, courtesy of Tracy’s Pupdates from Fosterville: Dec 13 – Made it home safely…Odie lounging on doggy bed…can hear him dreaming. Dec 14 – Odie’s
first night…stared longingly at my bed for hours, discovered Zach’s step stool, climbed up at 2am…fell
asleep to the gentle snoring of two dogs.
Dec 18 – Day 5 of Life with Odie-O…shares Zach’s
ottoman for ultimate bird-watching…such a sweet boy.
Dec 19 – Spoke too soon! Odie
got into garbage…listened attentively to lecture and apologized by way of sweet beagle kiss. Side note, Odie doesn’t
like cranberries but adores my homemade pumpkin & cinnamon dog cookies!
Jan 20 – Walked
around with carrot in mouth for 1 hour…finally ate it! Doesn’t like green beans but loves his discovery of rabbits
under deck.
Jan 27 – No Odie, I will not dig out 10 feet of snow so you can meet rabbits under deck!
BTW - definitely hates ALL green vegetables…more of an orange guy, i.e. yams & salmon. Favourite past-time? Peacefully
surveying world from front window…at least until neighbour’s cat shows up on window ledge.
There’s
so much to discover in the land of opportunity for an opportunist like Odie. Try following that performance, Miss Piggy.
Odie the Opportunist is an approximately 7-year-old male neutered
beagle seizing the day every day at Big On Beagles (BOB) Rescue, www.bigonbeagles.ca! Our thanks to Vaughan Animal
Services, Dr. Kevin Corrigan of the Thornhill Veterinary Clinic, and Odie’s Foster Mom for giving Odie the opportunity
of a lifetime!
Happy Yappy
New Year, Everyone! We thought you'd enjoy hearing about how Odie is doing so far. He'll be getting his cruciate
ligament surgery shortly but in the meantime, he's having a ball in his foster home! Take a peek below at the adorable pupdates
sent over the howlidays from his foster mom, Tracy! Dec 19, 2013:
Well things are not rosy in the Carver household (ha ha). Little Odie got into the garbage and when
caught I think he was expecting to be yelled at or heaven forbid, hit.
So how did I find out about Odie's little foray into the fine delicacies
of chez garbage??? His new friend Zach ratted him out like a good bully should. Zach knows that eating the garbage is
not a good thing and could mean no bedtime cookies; he dutifully came and asked for the door and down I went. Zach was
like a gleeful little tattletale wagging his tail and looking at Odie with a silly bully grin. While we did have a conversation
about what is considered to be appropriate dog food (he listened very attentively) I let him know that I would do better
to keep temptation out if his way so neither of us would be in the dog house.
We ended
this little talk with a very sweet beagle kiss and a promise that I would do better.
On a side note, Odie does not like cranberries. It was very interesting watching him spit them out when eating
his food. Luckily Zach loves them and ate whatever Odie left behind. He doesn't quite have the appreciation for
fruits and veggies that Zach has but he is loving my gluten free pumpkin and cinnamon dog cookies.
Well, it's bedtime and I need to secure my place in the bed or I’ll end up on the floor. Night night all, sweet dreams Odie the connoisseur of fine refuse , Zach the snitch and me, aged and slightly forgetful. Dec. 18, 2013: Well good morning ladies,
hope all is good in the world of
beagles. so here we are Day 5 of life with little Odie-O as we are now calling him. He is doing very well in and
out of the crate. Having the crate in the bedroom during the day next to where Zach is sleeping is providing him with
a level of comfort that made the transition to being crated very easy. He wasn't happy at first but having Zach with
him calmed him down very quickly. He now realizes that when I am home, he is out and free and transitioning back and
forth is going quite easily.
So we've hit a few milestones: - No food aggression, I had them both eating out
of my hand taking turns back and forth and if one got a nugget twice in a row there were no issues. Had them
standing side by side and no issues. For meals they each have their own bowls and Odie is taking to the food quite
well. Odie is no longer eating Zach's meals and only eating whatever is in his own bowl. they stand
side by side and wait for each other before starting to eat. Odie is now eating on Zach's schedule so everything
is working quite well in that respect.
- Bones - basically a medium sized cookie. Both went to their assigned
place in the dining room (beds) to eat their bones. Zach inhaled his and then took a casual walk over to Odie
to see if he needed help. Odie gave a little growl and Zach kept on walking by. So no issues, Odie can
get his point across without having to lunge or become overly aggressive.
- Barking...Well I have heard him bark...but he
really is very quiet for the most part. If I go outside and he sees me with my keys he whines a bit. Zach
and Odie share Zach's ottoman to watch what is going on outside.
- Sleeping in bed. So they each have their
own spots and there have been no issues regardless of who gets in first. Odie did try humping Zach in bed
and Zach put up with it. I expect that if Odie tries that out of bed Zach will let him know that he doesn't like
that.
- Toys.
no possessive behaviour has bones, tennis balls and doesn't really care if zach walks away with a toy.
He is taking his meds no problem, no marking in the
house, no accidents. He really is a very sweet boy. Odie-O,
Zach His Highness of Duufus and me. Dec 14, 2013: Well Good Morning Ladies, Just wanted to give you an update
on how Odie’s first night was in the Carver House. When bedtime came Odie snuggled into the doggy bed and Zach
took his usual place on the pillow next to me. About 2:00 am I awoke to Odie whining, asking to go out, yeah!!
So after a quick pee and a drink of water he and I went back to bed. He stared longingly at my bed and since I’m
a sucker for a cute face told him to come up. He easily found Zach’s step stool and climbed up onto the bed.
He and Zach sniffed each other and soon all that could be heard was the gentle snoring of the two dogs. What a wonderful
sound to fall asleep to. Unsurprisingly I was the first awake and after a
couple of grumbles from the peanut gallery, announced it was breakfast time and after a morning rub-down both dogs were up
and out into the backyard. Breakfast was good, Odie had his meds and both boys shared a couple bites of soft food from
my hand. They were next to each other and had no problems with each other alternating a tasty morsel from my hand.
Odie then went and ate his bowl of food and Zach finished off his. After a quick brushing for both and a massage for
Zach (part of his continuing re-hab) it was time to watch the world from Zach’s ottoman (picture above).
Odie is a sweet boy and so far he and Zach are getting used to each other. What I can’t
believe is how quiet Odie is. Other than letting me know when he had to go out in the middle of the night, there has
been no barking, no howling, have to say I’m kind of disappointed…but we will see what happens when I go out
to get groceries this morning. So far Odie has not marked in the house and
that may be due to Zach being the established alpha in the house. Outside however the little leg lifter has made his
presence known marking on the deck and scaring the heck out of the neighbour’s cat J. Since he has not displayed
any inside issues, I am going to leave him uncrated while I nip out to the grocery store. It is only 2 mins away so
this will give me an indication of how long he can hold himself. When I go to work on Monday, I will leave
him crated for the first day and see how he handles that. I think he may be fine uncrated, based on his current behaviour
and his burgeoning relationship with Zach. Will keep you both updated, have
a great weekend. Odie the Wanderer, Zach His Highness of Duufus and me.
Dec 13, 2013: Hi Marna,
we made it home safely. I had to take him out of the crate and strap
him in with the seat belt. I think he had enough time behind bars and was becoming upset. He slept almost the
entire trip home with just the occasional request for a head rub. Odie
and Zach are getting along so far. No issues and lots of tail wags. Zach is bully-running around my office and
Odie must think he is slightly crazy. Odie is in the middle of Zach's circle staring at the weirdo running around and
spinning. Odie loves the Halo, he ate his bowl and Zach's
so I will have to watch both of their food intake until he is comfortable knowing that the food will be there for him regularly.
He has tried out the dog beds and is currently lounging on the doggy bed in my room. I can hear him dreaming.
He took his meds without any problems and I gave him a good brushing. I
am going to monitor his skin for flare ups and I noticed that his urine was very dark, so will monitor his water intake and
the colour...at least the snow is good for something, lol. My
adventure of the night?? Zach and Odie went out and Odie followed Zach around the part of the yard that has light (Zach isn't
a fan of the dark). Zach has several paths that bring him under the trees that he uses as rest spots when his feet get cold.
They both ended up stranded in the cold, lifting feet and looking like they needed to be rescued; really contemplating
doggy booties for those backyard exploratory missions. lol that's
all for now, BTW not sure he likes the name Odie...put
your thinking caps on! Have a good night Odie the Wanderer, Zach His Highness of Duufus and me.
Dec 16, 2013 excerpt from eblast to Our Supporters:
Odie arrived on Friday
when the snow was just beginning to fall.
Odie has spent the last 5 months in a rural shelter.
While at the shelter,
he tore his cruciate ligament likely from excessive itching due to a severe skin condition.
Odie
needed a Christmas miracle.
He got one.
Thanks to YOU.
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