Keely
Keely had a lot of fun chasing (not exactly fetching) the rope toy, and she found the squeaker in one of the toys and started squeaking away.  Reminds me of Brenna when she did that.  When Keely started running around after the rope toy and she ran past Anastasia, who was on her cat tree, the cat jumped out and hit Keely with her paws fast several times in a row!  In the back of my mind I was a little worried that Keely might hit back, but she just looked at the cat for a second or two and didn't mind it at all.  When Keely and I come back from our walks (long and potty walks), sometimes Anastasia would wait by the door and then she would sniff Keely all over as I remove the leash from Keely's collar.  Keely's okay with that too.  Still she would growl when she gets possessive over me or the dog bed.  But I don't say anything to her about it anymore, I figure this is similar to when Jake growled at Anastasia for getting near his toys.  If it gets worse, I'll find ways to correct her, but as of right now, I think it will probably work itself out like Jake's growling at my cat (I don't think he has ever growled at the cats at his new home, but on adoption day, I did give his parents "The Gift of Growling" article just in case).
I've started contacting CGC evaluators to see when Keely and I could take the test.  Karleen the Petco instructor sort of hinted that Keely's not ready, she thinks Keely's still too shy in public.  I don't think she's ready right now either, I mean, I'm not ready right now either, with my schedule right now, I'm not spending enough time training her.  But I think she would be ready in 2 to 4 weeks.  I think the Atlanta (Marietta) obedience school where Lexi and Jake got their CGC is going to have their next CGC test on first Saturday of March, and the practice test the week before that (last Saturday of February).  So we might go for that if Keely's not adopted by then.
Today in class it was okay.  There were only five dogs there including Gemma, Karleen's dog with obedience titles.  Rebel the Black Lab mix, Abby the hound/Yellow Lab mix, and Riley the Min Pin.  Keely did okay, nothing spectacular like Brenna, mainly because I haven't practiced with her at all this past week.  Today we learned "Wait", longer "Sit-Stay", and Heel with automatic Sit.  Keely's still a little distracted and kept wanting to go toward the front entrance, but Karleen said Keely appears to be more confident, but she said she didn't want to make Keely to go back being nervous again, so she didn't use Keely as demo dog for the new commands. 
Keely �Sit� to get a treat.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Early this morning I got a phone call from Mickey, who identified himself as an ESRA volunteer and was told by Heather to call me about transporting a Springer from an Atlanta shelter to Catheryn�s vet in Opelika for boarding, until we can find her a foster home.  Mickey and I arranged to meet in the afternoon in Newnan (great timing!  I was able to meet Mickey right between my daily vet school visit with Sally the Quarter Horse, and the obedience class tonight).  When I got to school to check my emails, Heather sent an email late yesterday saying that the shelter worker told her that the dog is holding one of her legs up.  But Kate from Atlanta Gun Dog Rescue (the person who got Buckley out of the shelter)went to check out a Pointer the shelter told her about and said the Springer appears to be a little nervous but young and sweet, �the kind of girl who will rest her head on your lap while you read the newspaper.�  The shelter is asking for breed rescue groups� help because they said Springers and Pointers are not adopted from their shelter often.
I met Mickey and Marilyn at the Newnan Petsmart parking lot.  Even though the email said the dog's a she, the dog definitely looks like a boy even just looking at the head (I heard male cat's facial features change if they are not neutered by a certain age, maybe that�s true for dogs too?).  Sure enough, Mickey told me the dog's a he (also the shelter paper says the dog's a Cocker).  They realized it first when the dog lifted his leg to potty, and he and his wife have been calling the dog Jackson.  Mickey said no vet care had been given to Jackson, and after I felt the dog, we decided he's not neutered either.  Also Mickey said they haven't noticed any limping, and he walked him around to show me.  Sure enough, no signs of limping.  Maybe a week of kennel rest cured it.  Marilyn said Jackson's pretty good in the car, a little nervous, they had to lift him to get him into their car.  Also Mickey said Jackson both pottied and pooped at the shelter outside and also at the Petsmart parking lot.  So he "might" be housetrained.  At least he didn't try to go to the bathroom in the car. 
Photo of Jackson contributed by Mickey and Marilyn.
Keely playing with her toys.  I just love watching her long tail wagging when she�s happy and playing.  Heather emailed to say that she loves watching Keely play also.  Heather said, �She is so funny and I think it was just about this long when she started playing with tully here.  I couldn't believe it when I heard all the noise since Gunther was standing next to me and you know he's the troublemaker around here.  When I walked outside it was Kiwi and Tully.  She had so much fun.  Sometimes here too when I would walk to the back door with them to let them outside for playtime, she would pick up a toy, toss it over her head and take off running.  She usually didn't even take it with her, just flipped it over her head.  It reminded me of a cartoon dog, yelling YIPPEEE, we're going out to play!�  About the �asthma attack�, Heather said, �Chloe gets those sometimes from either strange smells or when she sniffs too much on the ground or something that's dusty out in the garage.  I usually just blow in her nose.  My vet told me to do that and it usually stops it.  I hope it was just the smell of the paint fumes making her gag.  Their noses are so much more sensitive than ours so it very well could be that.�  I told Heather that I did blow on Keely�s nose when it happened, but it didn�t seem to work.
Photo of Jackson contributed by Mickey and Marilyn.
Photo of Jackson contributed by Mickey and Marilyn.
We had to lift Jackson into my car also.  At first we tied his leash to the door handle, but I think I didn't tie it tight enough that he eventually pulled it out.  He was a little nervous the first 30 minutes, just sat up and looked out of the windows, he wouldn't eat the treat Marilyn gave me.  But after that, I think he started feeling relaxed.  He actually napped for a few minutes, and stuck his head twice between the front seats to sniff me, but stayed in the backseat the whole time (I had my cat car seat in the front passenger seat, maybe that helped him to stay in the back?).  Jackson doesn't smell that bad, but he does have several mats on his body.  His ears smell yeasty. 
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