We are back!

I have been avoiding the blog for a few days. I want to state very clearly that this is my view of events and happenings at For Hope, Inc and all the foster dogs. If you were standing next to me you may see it different but this is how I see it, feel it and live it. I will be honest with my feelings and gut reactions. I do not mean to offend or hurt anyone; it is just what I experience.

As you are aware Cloey came back to For Hope, Inc for a number of reasons. It was and still is one of the hardest decisions we have had to face. I have talked to a great number of rescue people, shelter people, legal and friends. All have told me they would have done exactly the same thing and the board of directors made the right decision. It still is a very hard thing and I will do everything I can to never let any dog go if there is even a shadow of doubt. I apologize to Cloey every day and will do better for her and all the dogs in our care. For Hope, Inc will move forward, learn from a very big mistake and keep helping the dogs. After all that is what it is all about, not us, our pride, our desire to own a dog but the dogs desire to be with the one special person in that one special home. Cloey is doing wonderful. She is playing, running and having a great time with Shadow. When those two start to play it sounds like the floor is going to give. Shadow is 90+ lbs and Cloey 116+ lbs. When they start to run and play you would think a small freight train is coming, but watching them just makes me smile. They are such good friends.

The puppies are doing okay finally. Tink is the last to start to feel better. Not only did they have the round of Parrvo but then they got the Kennel cough and respitiory problems. Tink got it the worse. Tammy was at the vet every day, sometimes 3 times a day getting these sweet things antibiotics, de-worming and fluids. The outlook is great, next week we should be able to finally give the shots they should have had long ago. The passing of Simba was a big loss to all of us and he will be remembered. He taught everyone a very valuable lesson and gave us so much for the short time he was here.

Hilda is a sassy little girl. She will take on any one and anything. She is gaining weight and having a blast being a puppy. We need to get her weight up and monitor her swelling. The fluid is even all around her brain, no damage to sight, hearing, mobility or organs. We need to watch for seizures, changes to the swelling and when she is playing she does not bump her head. I am keeping everything crossed she will make it a long long time. The reason we named her Hilda is we felt she needed a strong German name for the strong fight she had coming up. I think she is just sassy enough to make it a long time; nothing is going to beat her. She will stay with For Hope, Inc until we can spay her. This is a very big gamble and we will cross that bridge when we get there.

Both Rex and Lily went out to their forever homes. Both are doing very well. Lily is still wants to be the boss and Rex is having a great time being the only dog. Damon is the one I worry about right now. He is so depressed since Lily left. She would give such a hard time when she was here. Always telling him what to do and just picking on him all the time. I thought for sure Damon would be relieved when she found her home, but he really misses her. Sadie, JoJo and Cody my 3 dogs)are all older and not as much in to playing as they are into monitoring and keeping everyone in line, Cloudy and Bubba are best friends and play all the time, Shadow and Cloey are buddies and always together so now Damon is the 3rd wheel no matter who is hangs with. I am sure things will change soon and it will be a whole new ball game, until then I try to spend as much time with Damon as I can. He is a great dog.

We also got some new fosters and foster families. One that is really a honey is Bo. He is Heartworm positive and has started the treatments. He got his 2 shots and now hates the crate. Bo is about 2 yrs old and one of the best dogs I have met. Somewhere he learned some great manners. One bad thing we found out is he does like to jump fences. The foster parents turned tier back for a second and he was over the fence. We now know that taking him out on a leash, walking beside him and letting the leash drop will not work. The leash will be held on to all the time.