Man/Dog Discussion

Helaine took a few shots last weekend. I’d forgotten they were on the camera. Here’s the one I like these. It’s as if Doppler and I are in a deep discussion.

Helaine took a few shots last weekend. I’d forgotten they were on the camera. Here’s the one I like best. It’s as if Doppler and I are in a deep discussion.

Doppler And The Night

I know it’s time to go when she climbs onto my lap. That’s her signal. She is purposeful and resolute. It’s time!

Thanks to Doppler I’ve started to get a great appreciation of night. I know it’s time to go when she climbs onto my lap. That’s her signal. She is purposeful and resolute. It’s time!

She doesn’t particularly like the cold and acts accordingly. She is efficient.

I put on my heavy jacket, picked up the leash (with bag dispenser) and an immense flashlight and headed out. Doppler walked to my right. That’s her preferred side.

She’s small, but the front steps pose no challenge to her.

Cold tonight and crisp. There were thin clouds. The Moon was low in the east–just rising.

We walked on the lightly frozen grass. It gave grudgingly with each step.

There are noises from the woods. Not my favorite thing. We’ve got critters of all types around. They want to avoid me. Right back atcha.

The stars are beautiful. Some nights before the Moon rises or after it sets the sky turns a very deep inky blue. The longer you’re out the more stars there are!

Even when the weather’s been bad it’s obvious Doppler and I have a mutual interest. Good doggie.

She’s already sound asleep on the sofa.

Doppler: Now I Have The Photos

The vet said it was bar none, one of the worst cases he’d ever seen.

I’ve traded emails over the last day with Lisa at the Wallingford pound where we got Doppler. Though I’m happy Doppler’s with us (and her brother Bentley is with our friends Cheryl and Steve) I am getting more-and-more upset by the treatment these dogs received before they were rounded up.

Lisa wrote:

The vet said it was bar none, one of the worst cases he’d ever seen.

Helaine asked I not publish the ‘before’ pics. They are disturbing.

Bentley was the worst – his poop was trapped to his skin due to his matted fur. His entire back end was ulcerated. 🙁

Doppler was such a mass of knots we could not determine her front end from her back end with ease.

As far as we can tell there’s no lasting sign of Doppler’s mistreatment. Dogs live in the moment.

There’s nothing wrong with getting a dog that’s been bred for sale. Roxie, Stef’s oversized mini dachshund, is an AKC registered pup. However, if you just want a dog to love there are plenty of them locally at shelters. Like Doppler they clean up good!

Cheryl wrote me earlier this evening.

My eyes filled up with tears of joy that we adopted these little ones, and even though the remaining dogs there need homes, I really feel they have one with those WONDERFUL , caring people that work there and love those dogs like they were their own.

She is talking about Lisa, Dean and the rest of the folks in Wallingford. I couldn’t agree more.

This Isn’t A Good Dog. This Is A Great Dog.

She’s adorable–sure. She’s also gentle and well behaved. This isn’t a good dog. This is a great dog.

Our new family member Doppler is a gem. She’s also housebroken! We discovered that tonight when Helaine took her upstairs to go to bed. Doppler obviously wasn’t ready.

While Helaine was washing up and I sat watching TV Doppler paced. Something was bothering her. Finally she jumped off the bed and headed downstairs. I followed.

Doppler’s only been in the family since 1:00 this afternoon, but I’ve already gotten used to her pace. Now she was moving faster. She knew I was behind her. She wanted to lose me.

She took a left then another left toward the kitchen. I caught up with her in a back room behind the family room.

I’ve seen this behavior in dogs before. She was looking for a place to go. She was looking for privacy.

I carried her to the front door attached her leash and walked her to the lawn where she quickly did her business.

I brought her back upstairs to Helaine, but five minutes they were both in the hall again heading toward the stairs. Doppler was still restless.

Helaine wondered if she just didn’t want to sleep in the bed?

This time Helaine took her outside where Doppler completed the cycle. In two brief trips outside she performed a three!

That was over two hours ago. I haven’t heard a sound since.

Doppler wouldn’t go to sleep at first because she knew she had to go potty. She understood what she could and couldn’t do in the bedroom. She only headed downstairs because I didn’t catch her clues.

Someone spent the time and effort necessary to train her.

Who dumped this dog? What kind of creep threw this beautiful animal out in the cold and then blocked her exit?

She’s adorable–sure. She’s also gentle and well behaved. This isn’t a good dog. This is a great dog.

I just don’t get it. How was this dog abandoned?

We are glad she’s with us. We’re also puzzled.

Doppler: The Pound Puppy Comes Home

It didn’t take long before she plopped down on an Afghan and took a nap!

We have a dog! Doppler has joined the Foxes. We drove to the Wallingford pound early this afternoon to rescue her. This was Helaine’s first chance to meet her and it was love at first sight!

We took care of the formalities hopped in the car and headed right to Petco. There were supplies to buy.

Doppler had been reasonably calm in the shelter, but as we drove away she became a little tense. Can you blame her? New surroundings. Strange people. Her last few traveling experiences hadn’t been joyous.

We bought a collar and leash, food, toys, sweater (to go with the sweater that came in a goody bag that came with Doppler), bed and a few other things. We started with her in the shopping cart, but as the cart filled up she was picked up and carried.

We also bought an engraved ID tag. You can get them a lot cheaper on EBay, but watching it get etched in a machine was worth the extra few bucks.

We got in the car and headed home. Doppler took this trip on Helaine’s lap. She was starting to calm down–the dog, not Helaine. Helaine will take a while longer.

We know a little bit about our new family member. She is calm and reserved. It didn’t take long before she plopped down on an Afghan and took a nap!

She is curious, but she doesn’t seem to want to put things in her mouth.

No accidents yet. It’s likely she’s house trained, though not our house. I expect that will take a little time.

She barked a little when we first saw her at the pound. She hasn’t barked since and that includes a pizza delivery preceded by a doorbell ring!

With Doppler just sprung from prison we thought a quick check-up at the vet was in order.

She weighs nine pounds. Just right we are told. Her eyes and ears are clear of obstructions. That’s good too.

There’s a little problem with one tooth and an exposed gum. That’s not a major deal, but it allowed the vet to guess at Doppler’s age. He thinks she’s four or five. Our guess was she was one.

Oops.

Doppler is a good jumper! She walked up to the sofa, eyed it briefly and then without a pause levitated herself up. She didn’t ‘just’ make it. She has more jump in reserve!

As I type this Doppler is next to Helaine on the sofa. She is sound asleep.

We could not have asked for more! Doppler is sweet as can be. She has the disposition and temperament we were hoping for.

Welcome home Doppler.

The Best News About Doppler

The truth is local shelters have lots of dogs who would love to come home with you. Not every dog is appropriate for every family, but it’s worth looking.

If you’re just joining us Helaine and I are adopting a dog. We are grateful to the folks from the ‘pound’ in Wallingford who found Charlotte and her brother Wilbur abandoned in a baseball dugout. The entrance to the dugout was blocked to keep them from getting free. It’s a pretty awful story.

I haven’t seen the pictures taken when the two pups arrived at the shelter, but I’m told they’re heartbreaking. That’s all behind them now.

Friday Charlotte becomes Doppler and joins the Fox family. But what about Wilbur?

I just got the good news that our friends Steve and Cheryl are adopting Wilbur who will henceforth be known as Bentley! How cool is that?

With Bentley and Doppler so close they’ll be able to get together for playdates and the occasional sleepover.

Bentley joins his new family Friday as well.

We think these dogs are around a year old, but aren’t sure. Originally Helaine suggested we celebrate Doppler’s birthday November 29. She’d done the research and found that’s Christian Doppler‘s birthday.

Later this afternoon Stef suggested we go with the day Doppler joins us. Perfect. From now on Doppler’s birthday is November 18! Cheryl told me it will be Bentley’s too.

I spoke to Cheryl this evening as she was buying supplies at Petco. She was excited… elated. She told me when she mentioned adoption the Petco associate gave her a coupon book with discounts for the things she’s definitely buying today.

I am told all you have to do is ask to get one. Way to go Petco.

Some people are surprised we were able to get such a really sweet dog locally at the animal shelter. I am one of them!

The truth is local shelters have lots of dogs who would love to come home with you. Not every dog is appropriate for every family, but it’s worth looking.

We are indebted to the folks in Wallingford who saw the inner beauty in these two scruffy mutts and treated them with love and respect until they found homes.

More to come.

More On Doppler The Dog

We want Doppler to be happy, but most of all we want Doppler to do what dogs do best, make the people around her happy.

Yesterday’s blog post about our upcoming puppy adoption has brought lots of response. I am grateful for all the comments and suggestions. Sometimes it’s just impossible to respond, but I read EVERY comment without fail.

Many of you suggested we adopt Doppler’s brother/father/cousin (we really don’t know), Wilbur. We just aren’t prepared to take two, but our friend Cheryl is heading out to Wallingford tomorrow to see if he’s right for her.

If Cheryl takes Wilbur we’ll create our own little ‘mutual aid society’ for dog sitting and the like. We are hoping he’s the right match for her and Steve.

A few of you have written to offer your services for in-home sitting. Believe me, I’ll be keeping those names.

I’ve gotten many recommendations concerning boarding at professional facilities. I suggest anyone with a dog go back through yesterday’s comments. Some readers are very happy with these services, including one where your pup stays in his own little ‘suite’ with a small bed and camera where you can look in.

Your word is good by me.

Helaine has already gone out and purchased a dog car seat. She bought food too, but after some online scouting will be returning it. Too much filler! She’s got the new brand picked out.

Doppler will be sleeping upstairs with us, but we’re getting a crate because being a free range puppy isn’t always appropriate. Though Helaine would like one that’s spacious with enough room for Doppler to stretch out or have friends over for drinks after work the appropriate size is much, much smaller. Dogs have a nesting instinct and do best in a space not much larger than they are.

Friday’s the day.

We’ve Found Our Dog

We wanted a small young female who needed to be rescued. I think we’ve found Doppler!

For the past few months Helaine and I have discussed adopting a dog. We wanted a small young female who needed to be rescued. I think we’ve found Doppler! We found her at the animal shelter in Wallingford.

As it turns out the dog we’ll be getting Friday isn’t the dog we originally asked about. She was already spoken for.

Here’s part of the note I received from Dean, an animal control officer. It’s sad and probably much too common.

We do also have two Maltipoos, a male and a female, that are not online yet. We have not put them up yet because they needed a little TLC. They were abandoned, blocked in a baseball field dugout. They were very thin, their coats were matted to their skin and their nails were to the point of curling. The poor things were sad and scared. After a good bath and haircut, and a much needed pedicure, two new, happy dogs appeared!. They are the sweetest. They are socialable and love everyone.

I went to the shelter this afternoon to meet the dog they’re calling Charlotte, but who will become Doppler.

She is sweet and friendly–a licker. As far as I can tell she’s not much of a barker (in a shelter there’s plenty of encouragement to bark from the other inmates). She was playful without being hyper.

We’ve got some things to prepare so she’ll be staying in Wallingford until Friday.

There are a few things we need and for one of them I’m turning to you. We need to find someone to take care of her when we go away–doggie daycare. We’d prefer a place that takes care of dogs without keeping them crated or someone who’d come to our house to walk and play with her.

Meanwhile we’re very excited. We hope Doppler is too.