The first day of the rest of my life.

Well the day had finally come. I was going home with my forever family. My foster parents and my foster bro Dinky brought me to Mackinaw City (see picture) on Wednesday in preparation to meet my forever family on Thursday morning. We had a fun trip in the car. I'm still making progress everyday and on the trip there I jumped up into dad's lap from the back seat - something I've never done before. Then, on Thursday morning, I crawled under the covers with foster mom and snuggled up real close to her. The first time I've done that too!

Don and Norine (plus their Chi hua hua Princess Sophie) were very excited to meet me the next morning. I really liked them and I didn't seem afraid of them at all. I let them pick me up without cowering or peeing. I've come so far that strangers can approach me, pick me up, and hug me without being afraid. They had a nice comfy crate for me for the ride home. They told foster mom later that I did very well on the way home. I pottied at the rest stop and ate all of dinner in the car. I'm already bonding with Sophie and I know her and I will get along wonderfully.

This is my last blog entry as today is the first day of the rest of my life. I'm leaving the life of a foster dog to be Don and Norine's iggy. Thank you and good bye foster family! I love you all and I hope we can see each other again some time.

Forever Family Update!

It's hard to believe that it's going to happen but I'm leaving my foster home tomorrow (Wednesday) for good! We're travelling to Mackinaw City so we can meet my forever family on Thursday. They are going to take me to my new home in downstate Michigan then.

The adoption process is rather lengthy. They filled out an online application, had reference (personal and veterinary) checks, a home visit (thanks Jodi), and many email and phone exchanges between foster mom and my future family. Foster mom is confident that I'm going to a great home where I will be loved and cared for by patient and loving people. She's told me many wonderful things about my new home and I'm very excited to go there. I can't wait to meet my new Chihuahua sister :) I hope she likes me. Me and Dinky get along very well and he's part chi so I think we'll be fine together. Speaking of Dinky, I think he's going to miss me most of all. He plays with me all the time and he's taking a shine to licking my feet. I like that.

I'm still making progress here. I'm getting a little more lovable everyday. Especially in the mornings I like to have my head, ears, and back scratched. I'll jump on the bed and nuzzle mom's face and let her love me up a little. My potty habits are really good and now I pretty much potty on command. Foster dad is still a little frustrated that after eight months I won't take a treat from anyone's hand. Maybe I'm saving that for my forever family.

Happy 8 Months!

Hi everybody!
Yes, it's been eight short months that I've been in rescue. Winter and spring have given way to the warm (er) days of summer. I love summer!. I've been walking with mom and dad alot. I'm much more curious now and I like to explore when I'm out. I like to strut down the sidewalk with my head (and tail) held high. I may even prance a little. I've even started pottying while out for a walk. I didn't do that in the beginning as I was just learning how to walk on a lead.

Foster mom has had some interest from someone who wants to take me home and be my forever family. I love my foster family but it's time for me to move on. There are many other iggys in need out there - and one of them may need my foster parent's help.

Wendy, if you are reading this please email my foster parents. A virus wiped out their address book and they can't contact you.

More stair action.

Just a shortie to say I've been going down the four stairs to the outside more and more now. Not every time but more. Foster mom puts me on top of the stairs and I will go down them no problem. If they call me to go out I'll do it some of the time. My foster parents have also noticed that I go up and down stairs like a dog that has been doing it all of it's life. The foster parents think I'm sooo smart sometimes.

I've also been laying by my foster parents more when they are sitting on the couch now. I love the couch almost as much as the pillow in the sun.

I stayed at grandma and grandpa's house for a few nights while the foster parents were away. I did so well there. No accidents in the house, I was polite with their dog, I ate heartily, slept quietly, and pottied when (and where) I was supposed to. I like to play in their big basement with Sidney and my foster cousin Molly. I like grandpa and ran up and jumped on the couch right next to him. It seems I can warm up to strangers fast.

Going down the stairs now!

Hi everybody!
Well today was another big step (LOL) for me. I went down the stairs all by myself this morning. That may not sound like much but all the time I've been here I've only learned to go up stairs. This has been an inconvenience for my foster parents because they have had to pick me up and carry me downstairs. Well for the last week I've been going down to the first landing but mom and dad could not coax me all the way down. Well this morning when mom was making breakfast she looked down and there I was. She was very surprised. Well, now that I learned to go down I've been going up and down them all day when I follow mom around. I'm soooo proud! Except that there are four steps down the landing on the way outside and I won't go down those yet - but I'm working on it!

I went camping with my family over the 4th of July weekend. Foster mom says that I'm probably the best of all the dogs because I travel well in the car, I potty where and when I'm supposed to, and I like to lay quietly in the sun while the other iggys are making a ruckus. I had fun at the camp. No more swimming though.

Is my forever family out there?

7 months of freedom!

Yes, another anniversary has come. I've been with my foster family for seven months now. I'm officially up for adoption so I'm just loving life while I wait for that special family to fall in love with me and take me home.

I went to the beach for the first time last week. Foster mom took me for a walk on the beach and I really enjoyed walking in the sun on the sand. I've never seen water like this and I wasn't scared at all to walk in up to my belly. I can't swim so I didn't try that. I'm not really scared of much (your hands are the exception) so walking in the water is no big deal for me. I'm going back to that beach to go camping next weekend. I'll let you know how that goes.

How's life you may ask? It's all good. I'm loving the sunny days of summer, going for walks, hanging out in the yard, napping on the couch with foster dad, eating Milk Bones, and just being an iggy.

It's clear that my left front leg, that was broken at some point, causes me no problem. I can run, go up stairs, and jump on couches without any problems.

I love being in the yard!

Hi everybody!
Just a shortie to tell you all how much I LOVE the yard. I don't think I was out much when I was in the mill. I'm making up for it now though. I love to be outside when it's sunny and walk around, chase my foster siblings, walk among the flowers, and mostly lay on the grass and sun myself. Sometimes when foster mom and dad are outside and I can hear them I bark so they'll come get me to go outside.

I'm officially up for adoption. I'm currently listed here: http://www.miitaliangreyhoundrescue.com/available-IGs.html

I hope that someone out there will be my forever family!

Iggy 500

I just got back from my first extended road trip. The foster parents took me and bro Dinky to Indianapolis for the Iggy 500. This the annual fundraiser/playdate for IG rescue in the midwest. It's a chance for those crazy iggy people to get together and oogle each other's iggys, spend some money on iggy stuff, and let the iggys hang out together. I had a very fun time. I didn't know how I'd be in an area with many people and hundreds of IGs. Well I did fine. Mom and Dad were surprised at how independant I was. I spent alot of the time wandering around, investigating all the different smells, and people, and dogs that were there. I let some people approach me and scratch under my chin. I wasn't frightened by all the noise and action. No one fell in love with me and wanted to take me home though. I saw Cari, who was the first one from IG rescue to take me in. She thought I was doing great.

I also travelled really well. I pottied when I had to. I was quiet and well-behaved in the hotel rooms and in the car. Considering all that I did and saw I'm very proud of myself. Mom and dad are very proud of me as well.

Any day now I'll be listed for adoption. If you know of someone with IG or puppy mill dog experience and they might want to give me a loving and patient home have them contact my foster family.

Six Month Anniversary!

Hi everybody!
I know...it's hard for me to believe too! Six months! A half a year! Wow! I'm still amazed at how so much has changed for me over the months.

So how am I doing you ask? Well I continue to make progress. I recovered quickly from my spay. I'm generally a pretty happy iggy. I love my foster brothers and sisters, my foster dad, and my foster mom (mostly). I seem to prefer foster dad a little more than foster mom for some reason. In my last post I was saying how I have started to lay more by my foster parents. I continue to do that more and more. In fact the other day I was licking dad's arm - something I've never done. I don't use an ex-pen anymore so I'm either on the pillow, the couch, or my crate like the other iggys. I walk very well on leash and I like to go for those walks. I seem so normal sometimes.

What are my issues? The same old ones; can't go down stairs and don't like to be reached for.

The foster parents are going to put me up for adoption soon. They feel that it's time for me to start looking for my forever family. I hope that it's one of you who've been following my progress. I will be listed on http://www.miitaliangreyhoundrescue.com and http://www.midwestigrescue.com

Happy Saturday!

Hi everybody!
I wanted to give you all a short update. I'm doing well from my spay. I was sleepy and didn't have much of an appetite but that barely lasted one day. I'm doing fine now. It's like I didn't even have surgery. Dr. Mead did a great job! Foster dad is going to take out my stitches today. I added some pics to the other entry that dad took. They show me with a bandage on my leg where I had my I.V.

The real reason I'm writing today is that I've taken a huge step towards being more affectionate towards people. First of all I'm usually the most active and social in the morning before breakfast. I'm playful with my foster brothers, I'll dash around the yard, and go upstairs to be on the bed with the other iggys. Sometimes in the morning I lay on the couch with the other dogs and foster dad. Well this morning I was laying on the couch (on the other end from foster dad of course) and I just decided I was going to lay by dad so I went and laid right next to dad and I put my head on his arm and promptly went to sleep. This is a huge step for me. I've NEVER intentionally laid by my people (without alot of coaxing), let alone rest my head on them.

Now for a Zoe update; Zoe found a wonderful forever family in downstate Michigan. She's now happily living with a new family including an iggy sister. Rescue works because there are so many wonderful, selfless, and giving people who volunteer to help. Zoe wanted me to thank her foster mom (Joan), the IG Rescue rep who coordinated this adoption (Lisa - my foster mom), the person who did the home visit (Jodi), the kind couple who transported her 10 hours to her new home, and her new foster family (Janice).

Today is starting off to be a good day.

Spay Day!

Mom brought me for my spay today. She put a bed on the passenger side seat and my foster-brother, Sid, and I laid on it for our two hour trip to the vet (and then 2 hours back). I love my foster brother! He's very nice to me. We play all the time and when it's time to sleep he sleeps with me on the couch. I wait for him in the morning so we can play. He's teaching me how to be a dog.

Dr. Mead said that I was in heat and that my spay would be a little more complicated. I guess that explains why Sid and Dinky (the boys) have been very interested in my "baby-making" stuff lately. But there was no problem and everything went well. I didn't feel like eating tonight and I've basically slept since I've been home. I'm tired.

More later.

5 Month Anniversary!

I know what you're thinking because I am too! FIVE whole months already!! It seems like a lifetime ago that I was trapped in that tiny wire cage wondering when the next bad thing was going to happen to me. I'm so grateful to be free.

So what's the good news? Well foster dad says that "the light" is back in my eyes. My "inner iggy" has been awakening. I'm more and more an iggy everyday. I sure like to run with the pack, play with my foster brothers, eat, and sleep in the sun. What more could an iggy want? When I go to my forever home (maybe you whose reading this right now) it will have to have other dogs around. I probably won't be an only dog. I love the company of dogs and I'm comfortable with lots of them around. I've been curious where my foster siblings go in the morning after they go out and I found out that they go sleep with mom - under the covers. So yesterday morning I went upstairs by myself and jumped up on the bad to lay with the family. Actually I ended up just getting Sid and Dinky up and we played around on the bed - barking and having fun. I'm very active and playful in the morning.

My fears are becoming less and less it seems everyday. I don't run so much when the people come by. You can walk by me and I won't run. I like to be in the same room that you are. I don't get freaked out when new people come over. You can pet my head and my chin when I'm laying on the couch. I like to come up to you and rub noses. I sleep with my head covered and I don't look at you all the time or open my eyes everytime you move. I clearly trust you more.

To mom and dad's frustration I still won't take a treat from their hand. They work on it everyday though. I need to learn to go down the stairs so I can be completely independent.

I'm going for my spay in five days :(

Thanks for checking in on me and be sure to give your pets a big kiss tonight.

First walk of the year!

Hi fellow dog-lovers!
Foster mom and dad took me for my first outside walk today. There is still alot of snow on the ground up here but the roads are bare and it was 50 today. They put my harness and retractor on me today for a walk. I did really good! In the house I'll buck the leash when it's on me but not outside. I really enjoyed walking around and smelling everything. I didn't try to run away and I was happy to walk close to my people. I wasn't scared of cars at all. Mom says I was prancing and I had my tail out. Since it's supposed to be nice this week Mom is going to take for a walk again. Mom and dad are practicing picking me up because in the house I'll run away if they approach me. It's o.k. outside if I have a little "fear peeing" asit helps fertilize the grass. They're very patient with me.

I've kinda taken a step back otherwise. Since I won't come when called, mom and dad would try to cajole me into the ex-pen or in my crate so they can pick me up to go outside. This worked out well until recently because I've figured out they are going to grab me and I'll start squatting down and peeing. On the rug or wherever I am. They want to teach me to go DOWN the stairs so I will go out on my own but I'm still uncoordinated with going UP the stairs.

And still no taking treats from the hand.

Be well my friends!

One more small step.

Hi everybody!

Just wanted to make a short note to say that I'm getting closer to taking a treat from someone's hand. Like other iggys, I've started to put my paws up on your legs when you're eating something that I might like. I won't take anything from your hand but I will eat it off of a plate that you are holding. Now foster mom and dad don't want to encourage me eating off of a plate but maybe that's the first step to eating from their hand. Dad's going to try putting treats on a plate or napkin so I'll take it and eventually they'll take the plate or napkin away. I'll let you know how that goes. When the foster parents are handing out treats they have to toss it to me and I've become very fast at getting the treat before one of the other iggys gets it. It turns out I LOVE CHEESE!! But then who doesn't.

Thanks for checking in on me!
Love,
Violet

Happy 4 Month Anniversary!

Hi everyone!

Just a short note to tell you that today is my four month anniversary in rescue. It was back in November that Wendy was able to get me and then put me into IG rescue.

I won't bore you with all the details of my recovery because when I read back over my blog entries I see that I end up saying the same thing. Which is a good thing because I keep saying how I'm doing just a little bit better every day.

Well I AM doing a little better everyday. I'm more like the other iggys. I run around with the pack and bark and play. I love cheese and Milk Bones. I know some commands. My hand shyness persists but mom and dad are patient.

Thanks everybody for continuing to check up on me.

Up in the chair.

Greetings from the sunny U.P.!

Foster mom wanted me to add a short note to my blog today about how well I'm doing. Carol S. had suggested, sometime back, that the foster parents put my collar and lead on so I can be stopped from running away from them. They don't pull me back or anything, they just hold it so I'll stop and maybe reconsider what I'm running away from. That seems to help alot. Maybe I'm in a rut of "I've got to run people coming too close" but in reality I'm not really scared. I just need to be reminded that I'm not scared. This helps because I will come back to the pillow and sit with the people then.

Yesterday I jumped up on the chair next to foster mom. Yes it took some coaxing but that's a big step for me. Now I do it all the time. I would jump up on the chair or couch on command but never, never with a person on it. This is a huge thing for me!!

Foster mom gives me treats now on the chair. This is so the other dogs won't snatch it away before I can get. I think it helps to build trust as well.

Hand shyness is emerging as my biggest issue. I will lay by you and let you kiss my head and nuzzle my neck but if you reach for my head or to pet me - I'm outta there!!! I will, however, let you scratch under my chin without running away. And, for heaven's sake, DON'T REACH FOR ME WHEN YOU ARE STANDING UP/!! I hate that!!! It really scares me.

The practice of fostering is the practice of patience. We don't get better in huge leaps and bounds, we get better in little tiny pieces. To all of you out there who have fosters or have fostered - you are all patient people.

Love,
Violet

It's the little things!

Hi everybody!
I just wanted to put up a short post to say that I'm still hanging in there. I haven't been rescheduled for my spay and I hope that foster mom forgets. That doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun.

I have nothing major to report other than I continue to take small steps towards being a regular iggy. As I've said in past posts I'm just a little less shy and a little more playful everyday. I was playing with Maxie (the elder iggy of the bunch) the other day; play-biting her neck and crouching down in the "downward dog" play stance. I'll chase my brothers around and let them get a little rough with me. I'm still not taking a treat from a hand. Why can't I get over this???

We've had more sun lately and I love to lay on the big pillow in the sun. Like all iggys, I enjoy sleeping there. Foster mom calls a sunny day "the best iggy babysitter".

Thank you for continuing to follow my progress to iggydom.

3 month anniversary!!

Hi everybody!
Yup..it's my three month anniversary in rescue. My how the time has flown by. It's hard to believe that I've been with my foster family for all this time. I've come along way in these three months and yet I still have a long way to go. My progress is slow but I am making progress. I get just a little more playful and a little less fearful everyday. I will jump onto a chair by myself and let my foster parents sit by me all night long. My "fear peeing" has diminished quite a bit as well. Much to foster mom's dismay - it's mostly when she picks me up. I hardly ever do it when dad does. I will play with my foster brothers and will snap at Dinky when he's a little rough with me. I come when called too. I'm still too scared to take a treat from a hand but I love to eat though.

The cute tan (carmel if you like) dog is the foster girl I was telling you about named Zoe. She is currently ready for adoption. She's staying with us for a few days while Auntie Joanie (her foster mom) is on vacation. You can see my full profile at http://www.midwestigrescue.com/available.html

I hope some you reading this will be at the annual Iggy 500 this June 6th in Noblesville, IN. I'll be there and hopefully I'll find a nice forever family to take me home and love me for a long, long time. See you there!

Spay delayed

Due to heavy snowfall and blizzard conditions the fosters decided it was unsafe to take me to Marquette to get spayed. We'll have to reschedule for a later date. I don't care much for going out in this weather either. Good thing the fosters have a pad out for me. I'm very good at using it.

Thanks for checking in on me!

A short check-in!

Hi everybody! Everyday out of the puppy mill is a great day and I've had nothing but great days since that day in November when Wendy rescued me. This is just a short note for all of you who like to check my blog once in awhile.

Overall I'm doing well. I'm continuing to take small steps almost everyday. I'm much more active and I run around the house with the pack when they get all worked up about something. Like I run to the door when foster dad comes home from work etc. My foster parents can pet me a little when I come up to them. I don't have my tail between my legs so much any more either. I look almost like a normal dog. But I still won't take a treat from anyone. I will eat a treat off the floor just inches from dad's hand but I won't take it off his finger. I'm also still struggling with trust issues as I don't like to be approached (but I'll come when called) and absolutely don't like to be picked up. Mom and dad are working on it though.

Zoe, who I mentioned in my last post, went to her foster family this week. She is really doing well there and has already been out visiting and even made a field trip to the local school with her foster mom. I'll post a good pic once I figure out how to work the digital camera.

I'm going on the 18th to get spayed. That doesn't sound like alot of fun :( Wish me luck.

Update! - Almost 2 months in rescue.

Yup...it's been almost two months since I was rescued from the puppy mill. The 24th will be the actual anniversary. So much has gone on that I couldn't wait to blog. First of all I'm continuing to make progress. I come when called now, I can follow directions like when it's time to go in my crate for bed or if it's time to eat, and I will actually walk up and smell the people. I've been starting to play some as well. I will chase my foster brothers around a little bit. Dinky is always trying to be a little "amorous" with me and I have to chase him away. He doesn't know that I'm so done with that. I'm all done with boys now that I'm out of the mill. Dinky and Sid pick on me a little so I have to stand up for myself. They aren't mean - they just want me to play. My potty habits continue to be O.K. I will potty outside when I'm brought outside and I will use my piddle pad very reliably. I don't potty in my crate anymore. I'm liking my foster parents more and I won't always run when they come by me. I know it's a little thing but I'll let them lay by me and pet me. I still will not take a treat from their hands though.

I have a new foster sister - Zoe. Zoe is a 6 year old female that was surrendered one week ago. She was brought to us by the kind Stan K. who graciously transported her from Minnesota to us in a snowstorm. Zoe is a very petite girl who is camel and white. She has had most of her teeth removed so her tongue hangs out of the side of her mouth. In a cute way though. Zoe will be with us for a short time before she goes to her foster home with Joan P.

Now for some bad news. In the last post I told you about the "Doggie Lama" - Lucy. Well she had had a biopsy of a lesion from the underside of her tongue during a routine dental that turned out to be cancer - fibrosacrcoma. She's in perfect health and it doesn't seem to be bothering her at all. There may be nothing that can be done because no more really can be taken out of her tongue and radiating her mouth isn't a good idea.

Happy New Years!

Happy new years everybody!! Not much has happened since christmas. Mom and dad try to keep my life structured so that I can feel comfortable with a routine. I like to lay in the T.V. room where everyone else goes now. Before I would pretty much stay by myself and either sleep in my ex-pen or on the pillow by the radiator. Mom and dad would pick me up and put me on the pillow in the T.V. room (or whatever room they're in) as I wouldn't go there on my own. Now the first thing I do when I come in from outside or come downstairs is to run to the big pillow. I'm starting to enjoy the company of everyone else. I'm hypervigilant though and I always lay so I can keep my eyes on the humans. Trust is a big issue with dogs that have lived likeI did. Mom and dad are careful to approach me from the front and are always talking to me when they pick me up. I still will not take treats from their hands - even (and I know you'll find this hard to believe) hotdogs!

Mom has been doing a little more research on puppy mill dogs and she's learned that I may be harder to rehabilitate because my spirit clearly has been broken. If I was aggressive towards people or a "fear biter" I'd be easier to work with. But with me, It's like the light has gone out inside my soul. People have treated me so bad for so long that it seems impossible that I could ever be just a regular iggy. Mom and dad are confident though, that there's an iggy inside me that just needs a little time and nuturing to come out.

The pic is my foster brother Sidney and my foster sister Lucy. Lucy is another story too. Mom and dad adopted her 8 years ago. Lucy spent the first years of her life as a brood bitch who was confined to a 55 gallon drum without ever being let out. She had to stand and lie in her own excrement for who knows how long. Once she was rescued she was found to have two bad knees (luxated patellas) and a seizure disorder. She had one repaired surgically and the other only locks some of the time. She came into rescue with her last litter of 3 or 4 in 2000 and all of those puppys are dead, except one, from seizures. Lucy's seizures are controlled with diet and now she only has one a few times a year. Mom and dad call her the "Doggie Lama" because she's so at peace with everything. She's let her past go and now she's happy and contented like I hope to be someday.