Adopted - Feb 15

Requirements:

Maggie's spay operation went fine and she is now ready for a loving home. She has a clean bill of health from the vet. She will need to take it easy for the next 10 days while her stitched area heals.

I think the most important criteria for Maggie is for someone to give her that special time each day. She is an active dog and LOVES to play ball. Whether it is indoors or out - doesn't matter to the little Magster. She will run for the ball, bring it back and drop it by your side, and look up with those excited happy eyes, waiting patiently for the next round.

I could see Maggie's bonding growing stronger with me each day because I devoted about an hour each day for her playtime. This was divided between morning and evening - indoors and outdoors. If you want to play more often - she'll love you even more. When playtime is over, she is very good with you telling her it's time to lay down and rest. She is comfortable with going to one of the dog beds, on the couch or in her crate.

A fenced in back yard would be ideal for her activity level. In the apartment building where she was fostered, she would bark warnings when there were noises in the hallway. We worked at quieting her down and she improved - growing comfortable with the pattern of noises. But she is a guard dog and heart and if adopted into a condo or apartment - this should be considered.

Also she will need regular - 3 times daily walks - either morning, afternoon, evening. Or a long walk in the morning (sleep during the day) long walk before dinner and then a later evening walk.

On her walks, she is inquisitive, curious and out in front of the pack. But she will, on command, walk be my side our behind. In the off - leash park, she is good with the other dogs but her favourite activity is chasing and retrieving a ball.

She is good with children not sure about cats. She was initially submissive with my 3 dogs and over the 2 months has come to regularly play with them. There has not been a single incident of aggression. So she could go into a home with another dog of her activity level.

At meal times she will give a bark of excitement but then sits quietly on command.

Maggie is a loving, kind dog who is quick to learn the rules of the house.

Foster Update - Jan 18

She was not getting the usual amount of excercise over the deep freeze we had. I had to spend extra time with her in the evenings - throwing the ball across the room. However she has analyzed my pitching style and most of the time she catches it in mid-air. I tried to get a photo of her catching it but my camera isn't fast enough. With the weekend snowfall we finally were able to go out for playtime in the park. When I tossed her toy, and it buried into the snow, her snout was in deep trying to find it. The look on her snow face as she came up was priceless.

She is now playing well with all her foster brothers. Even Dante joined in when she initiated play with him. She continues to warning bark when she hears noises in the apartment hallway. They are not loud or incessant but this may be a factor on the type of home she goes to.

Foster Update - December 18

The biggest enjoyment, though, of having Maggie, is her playful, exhuberent nature. She will come and drop a ball into my lap, her tail and bum wagging expectently for me to toss the ball. If I don't respond, she does a tiny, little play growl, just loud enough to get my attention. As I turn, he little tail revs up a few more thousand RPMs. And just when I think she cannot wag any faster, I ask, "Maggie wanna play?" and her whole little body is into the wag. I forget the source of the quote but "Dogs laugh with their tails" is so true of Maggie. You can feel the pure joy of this little dog and wonder how anyone could have given up this happiness.

And, as excited as she gets, when I gently lift her up and whisper in her ear, Easy Maggie, I can feel the calmness settle in. Her little heart beat slows down to a relaxed pulse and she feels total security in my arms. She just needed to know their was a gentle touch in her life to ease her fears and allow the happy little spirit to emerge.

She is friendly with the other dog owners in the park, runnning along side Odin, going up to each person for a "Hello" a pat on the head and maybe a treat. She plays easily with the other dogs in the park. But her favourite activity is chasing a ball, returning and dropping it at my feet, ready to go on another chase. On leash, she walks side by side with Odin - a little ahead of Dante, Dublin and myself.

She has finished her ovulation and now we are relaxing through this time when the hormones are peaking in her system. Her spay is scheduled for January 29th. So I can start looking at applications the first week of February. I can see her true nature has come through and she will make a wonderfull dog for a loving family.

Foster Update - Nov 29

However she did develop a case of diarrhea this past week. It was not from parasites or stress. Females will sometimes develop this during their heat cycle. She soiled her crate bedding during the night and the sad look on her face as she came out made me just want to hug her (instead I bathed her and did the laundry at 3 am). I put her on a rice only diet to help clear the digestive system.

On her second vet visit she was much better behaved. She remembered Dr. McMullen and Holly the vet tech and immediatly sat down in hopes of a liver treat. A little of the worry crossed her face when she was lifted on to the table but they were able to administer the rabies vaccination and draw blood. We have some anti-inflammatory medication to help with the diarrhea. Otherwise, the blood and fecal tests were fine.

Maggie is wanting to more and more greet and play with the other dogs in the park. Because of her ovulation I have to curtail the activity somewhat but I try to give her some socialization time.
She loves to play fetch. Her favourite is the little Booda toy. Runs to get it, comes back and drops it at my feet then stands excitedly watching the toy or me, waiting for the next chase and grab.

I have no doubt that the little fear she had coming into our care was just the trauma of transition. She is now a happy, little dog. I'll continue to work with her socialization as we have 2 months together before her spaying

Foster Update - Nov 19

However, Maggie responded almost immediatley to a gentle touch and soft words. I laid down beside her on the kitchen floor and she came up to my fast and gave me a tentative lick. As we lay there, me gently stroking her and whispering her name, her body relaxed and a little tail wag started. By the end of the evening, the tail wag was a helicopter in flight.

All she needed was to be shown there was nothing to fear with me. She's been with me for 2 days now and no accidents which is a good indication that she is becoming more at ease.

As with Jackson, Maggie integrated well with Odin, Dublin and Dante. She presented no agression and soon Odin and her were romping from room to room. It indicates that she will be able to live with another dog. I soon discovered she enjoys playing catch - bringing the toy to you, dropping it and then waiting for the next toss. She slept soundly in her crate that night and came out the next morning with the helicopter tail wagging and flourishing kisses.

I had booked an appointment for her to be spayed but, it turns out, she has begun her heat cycle. So dear little Magster will be with me until February. This will give me plenty of time to build her trust and help to eliminate that fear.
We went for an examination, micro chip and to do her blood work. However she was to afraid of the situation to sit still for the blood drawing. And I'm not surprised with what has happened to her in the last week. So we are waiting a week, giving her a chance to settle down and get comfortable with strangers.

Dr. McMullen did discover a little trick of Maggie's though - she will shake paw for a treat. Maggie was sitting in front of her, and Dr. McMullen place her open palm on her knee while she was talking with me. Next thing we know, Maggie has lifted her paw and place it in the vet's hand.

I'll be working at introducing her to new people, get them to be gentle with her, give her a treat when she sits.

Foster Dad
Larry

Introduction - Nov 16

She knows her own name, sit, although she so full of energy, she has a hard time putting it on the floor and keeping it there for more than a second, and she comes when called. At dog park, she was submissive with the other dogs, but once she got a sniff in, she was happily to play chase. She plays fetch, and even dropped the ball at my feet. Fearful of new people at first, she warms up after a few minutes. She’s had numerous accidents, even though she pees in the backyard and on walks, but has been so affected by her stay at Animal Services, her accidents are likely due to anxiety and will stop once she’s settled into our home.

Maggie will be spayed in the near future and when given a clean bill of health will be ready for a home prepared to give her so much love and attention, she’ll never have to be anxious.