see you soon albert

Well, Albert is at the vet's relaxing before his big surgery day. He was confident up until the very end...then he tried to bolt away from the door leading to his pre-surgery bed.


Arthur and Stella were a little confused at first. But now they are passed out on the couch snoring.

In Albert's absence - here are Arthur and Stella in their matching Halloween costumes. They will be Albert's understudy on the blog until he makes his triumphant return!

happy halloween!

Sadly, poor Albert will not get to participate in our annual walk around the neighborhood to see all the kids in costumes. Instead he'll be at the vet getting ready for his big operation tomorrow :( Albert will be getting neutered as well as getting his teeth fixed up and then he'll have the weekend to relax and recover from his surgery.

I'm very curious to see how his neutering will affect him. His house training is going slow and steady, but I've read several articles stating that even with older dogs, neutering can really help them curb the urge to mark their territory. So while we'll obviously still need to work on correcting his habits, hopefully the urge will be a little less intense.

Off we go on our morning walk...more later after Albert gets dropped off at the vet!

sleepless night

Albert has been so good sleeping on his bed in our bedroom...until last night! Arthur and Stella were restless and had gotten into Adam's backpack. They proceeded to eat some leftover eggs and other goodies, and were making a lot of noise. Albert was pacing and whining trying to join in.

Around 4am I let him outside, and then put he and Arthur into their crate. They wanted to play, so I let them go to it. Stella came upstairs with me and promptly passed out. We girls like our beauty rest.

The beagles had 2 good walks yesterday, so I was surprised they weren't dead tired. Welcome to the world of beagles.

beagle meetup!

Albert in his "adopt me" vest.


We took the beagles to the beagle meetup today and it was very fun. Albert looked super cute in his "adopt me" vest (see above!).

Speaking of "adopt me"...I wanted to note some of the elements that Adam and I think would make for Albert's perfect "forever" home (this is, of course, just our observations...and Albert's new parents will be selected by Marna).

-We think it's really important for Albert to be in a home with another dog. He's just such a nervous guy, and the minute he is with other dogs he relaxes SO much

-Albert has had a rough life, and needs love and dedication. We think it is very important for Albert's new family to understand the fundamentals of dog training because he has not had any training at all. We are working with him on house training, and basic commands like sit, lay down, off, wait etc. Albert isn't a puppy and training an adult dog is *much* more challenging. A seasoned dog owner would be a good thing.

-Ideally, it would be good for the family to really understand beagles. They are a special breed of dog with a lot of traits specific to the breed and training them is very different than with other kinds of dogs. In all likelihood Albert will need to be on leash ALL the time unless in a fenced in yard or fenced in dog park. He's not a lab that can walk down the street leash-less! It's important for his new family to understand this.

-Albert is very frightened of children. His new family would ideally be adults only (with another dog or two!).

-Non-smokers (but that's a B.O.B pre-requisite anyway!)

We're going to post some good links to this blog for more information on the beagle breed as well as an excellent dog training site. For now, I'll leave you with some cute beagle photos!

NO!

Marna just emailed me to say she's had her first inquiry about our little Albert! I know that's good news...it's just not good news when you're getting attached to the little guy.

I know, I know...that's what fostering a dog means. Training him and loving him as if he were your own so that he can be the best that he can be, and then sending him off to his forever home to live happily ever after.

I love the concept, I really do. It's just a lot harder in real life when you are faced with the reality that Albert is going to be moving on. The only thing that makes it easier is that there are hundreds of Albert's out there that need me and other foster parents.

busy week!

It's been a busy week at our house! Both mine and Adam's work was crazy busy this week, coupled with us alternating coming home to see Albert at lunch. We're very glad it's the weekend (both us AND the beagles!).

Albert continues to blossom before our very eyes, and he and Arthur and Stella become better friends as each day goes by. We joked today that Arthur in particular probably doesn't remember Albert ever not being here.

As Albert gets more comfortable in our home, elements of his behavior and personality become more evident. He has a very handsome beagle voice...we know because he has started sounding his bark when he hears something outside. He and Stella are both vocal - Arthur couldn't care less about barking.

Albert is amazing with other dogs, and loves the dog park. He lets other dogs sniff him freely, and he has started taking an interest in Stella's ball. I think he sees her fetching and tries to join in...a little difficult when he's on a leash.

Today I am taking Albert down to Queen St. W to put up some posters for the Beagle Bash for Cash at the various doggy boutiques and vet clinics. I'm going to see if I can get another donation for Marna from a new pet store...I'd be surprised if someone could say no to Albert the Rescue Beagle!

happy one week anniversary albie!!!

albert's profile on the B.O.B website

*sigh* I stopped by the B.O.B. site today and saw that Albert's full profile is now up here. I felt kind of sad...he's on display for the world to see...and anyone with half a brain would kill to adopt this little guy! Which means he won't be my special little guy anymore :(

As fate would have it though, I received an email from a colleague shortly after. It was an urgent plea for a 10 year old beagle girl named Gin who is at a shelter in Mississauga. Apparently her owners had dropped her off because she had an ear infection and they didn't want to incur the vet costs. She was on death row at the shelter unless she found a home. My colleague just updated me to say they have found her a temporary place to live...but it was a close call for her.

That's when it hit me. Gin's story is just one of hundreds that Marna receives every single year. And one of many that I find myself by looking online at different shelters. Look at this poor guy. He breaks my heart and if I could, I'd bring him home too.

Fostering allows you to actually put your money where your mouth is. I am helping Albert so that he can find a loving full-time home. When Albert finds happiness, I can open up my home to the Gin's and Snowy's of the world.

The thought of saying goodbye to Albert someday breaks my heart. But it also gives me hope.

We adopted Arthur and Stella as puppies. Everyone loves a puppy. But after fostering Albert I can tell you in no uncertain terms that adopting a rescue dog can be just as amazing - and possibly more so - than buying a puppy.

The love that I have developed towards Albert in less than a week is due in part to his lovely little furry face but more in the process of seeing him open up and become a happy little dog.

And look at the photo above...he's smiling :)

Look at these guys...they are best friends! Albert slept on his doggie bed beside our bed last night. We wanted to see how he'd do outside of his crate. He curled up on the bed and slept like a baby all night. I had to wake him up to go downstairs in the morning!

On our walk tonight, a lady in high heeled boots walked past us. Albert was really scared of the sound of her clickity clack heels. Couple that with his reaction to cigarette smoke and I have a mental picture of his past life being with cruella daville!

you CAN teach an old beagle new tricks!

I've posted before that we aren't really sure how old Albert is - we'll never know. He's obviously not a puppy because his face has some lightening (happens to even the best beagles as they age!). But he's full of energy and personality. All of this is to say he ain't a spring chicken. He also ain't housetrained :)

We knew when we agreed to foster Albert that he wasn't housetrained. He likely grew up in a kennel, so nobody ever took the time to teach him stuff. He knows nothing at all when it comes to living in a house. As I said, when he first came home with us...the look on his face when he saw a television was astounding. He had no idea what the hell was going on.

So we've been doing our best to be consistent, loving and firm with him. And he's responding beautifully. He is now allowed to wander around the main floor without his leash. We keep a close eye on him, and whenever we see his leg start to lift we say stop loudly to distract him, and then take him outside. It'll take time for him to 'get it', but he's trying and we're very consistent. And we've had no number 2's in the house at all.

Albert is also responding well when we teach him to sit, and also the down command when he tries to counter surf. We'll keep at it...he'll be a fully trained beagle in no time.

Training us to walk three beagles at once is a different story though (note Adam in the photo at the top has 2 beagles...not 3. I have the third beagle!)

i think he likes us :)

Albert has been very good in his crate, and hasn't made a peep...until last night. It was raining out, and you could hear the rain on the glass. I woke up at about 4am and could hear Albert whimpering. Nothing loud at all, but the sound of a whimpering beagle breaks my heart, so I grabbed my pillow and blanket and set up shop on the couch. After a pee break, Arthur and Stella curled up under my blanket with me. Albert was quiet on the dog bed for a few minutes, and then started whimpering again. I called his name to see if he wanted to come up with us. He came over, gave me a lick, and went back to his doggie bed. A few minutes later he was snoring :) When I woke up this morning, this is what I saw...how cute is this guy!?



We met this little guy last Tuesday night. He was shaking like a leaf under a table at the dog shelter. And look at him now!

Albert is a poster beagle for Big On Beagles. Marna saw it in him immediately and told us "this guy is why we exist". She was right. This dog is so loving and gentle. Seeing him come out of his shell is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. (And it hasn't even been a week yet!)

albert's first day at home while we went to work

Albert had his first full day with us at work today. When I came home at lunch he was lounging in his crate and was not the least bit bothered. I let the dogs out into the backyard, and they enjoyed the crazy 26 degree weather (hello global warming) and stretched out on the grass in the sun.

After work everyone headed up to the park by Wychwood Barns. Arthur and Stella did some fetching, and Albert hung out with the other guy at the park who was on a leash. Compared Albert, Stella and Arthur look like beagle sausages so we are now on the beagle gut reduction programme so they can look as svelte as little Albie.

Alright, enough talking...on with the pictures!

alberts busy sunday

I really meant to post yesterday, but we had a really busy day. Albert went down to Bickford Park yesterday to see how he would do at a regular dog park. I'll post in more detail later, but for now here are the observations:

-Albert is terrified of children. 2 little girls came over to pet Arthur and Stella, and I told them they couldn't touch Albert because he was a rescue dog. I kept him well away from the girls, but he himself was glued to my legs shaking! And he was several feet away from the kids.
-Albert is incredibly nervous around humans he doesn't know. I asked anyone that came over to pet him to kneel down to his level and speak gently to him. He did let people pet him, and by the end of the park visit he was much less nervous.
-Albert has a lot more energy now than when he first came to us...and his new favorite thing to do is roll around on his back on his doggie bed. He even lays there on his back with his belly exposed which means he's feeling pretty comfy in his foster home!
-Albert got a new Halloween collar yesterday, and now he matches Arthur and Stella! We'll put his cute little 'chien' collar that Marna got him back on after Halloween.

Did I mention that we absolutely adore Albert? (Just in case it wasn't obvious!)

the cost of rescuing a beagle

I want to make it really clear, that Big on Beagles is incredible when they rescue a dog. That dog is given top notch medical care including a full examination at the get go, and all of the follow up care or treatment that is required. So, for Albert, his dental work and neutering will be paid for by Big on Beagles.

How can they afford to do this you might ask? It's a combination of fundraising and support from the Beaches Animal Hospital who work with Big on Beagles to make it a little more affordable to actually rescue dogs. Dr. Dilworth is an amazing vet who is kind, compassionate and also very cute!

Raising money isn't easy...but having seen the work that Big on Beagles does, and seeing the dedication of Marna, Erica, the volunteers and all the foster and adoptive parents I can say with certainty that a donation to B.O.B is money well spent.

So...now that you're warmed up...why not stop on over to their website and give a little of the green!

albert hits high park with his posse

Albert and Stella hanging out:


Albert and his crew hit High Park today for a stroll and the little dude loved every second of it! He got a lot of attention from passers by, and when people found out he was a rescue beagle he got lots of extra pets.

Most beagles should be on-leash 100% of the time because they really do follow their noses, but Arthur and Stella are 'special' beagles. They actually can go off-leash and do come back. (NOTE: We have been training them to do that since puppyhood...don't try it with just any beagle!)

Because Albert is a rescue beagle he stays on his leash all the time (unless he's in a fully fenced park) and probably will for the rest of his life. As I said, most beagles are never reliable because of their instincts, and Albert's got ALL the beagle instincts!

We got him a really long training lead so that he could do a bit of jogging with the posse though, and he really seemed to love running along with the other dogs. Arthur and Stella went swimming in the stream, but we kept Albert well away from the water. He's had a stressful week...the last think he'd need is panic attack if he fell in!

Stella taking the boys out for a joy ride:


Stella and Albert sniffing:


Observations:
-Albert was a little unsure of the car on the way to the park. On the way home, however, he was curled up in the back seat sleeping.
-He had his first bath today (buh bye pound scent!) and was great! He didn't love it, but he stood still while Adam washed him up and didn't freak out at all
-Albert seems to really want to be friends with Arthur. After their day out, I look over and found this:



What's on the menu for dinner you ask? Well, we went out to freshen up the wet dog food supply (Marna got us hooked on Merricks wet food!) and all the beagles will be enjoying a lovely feast of kibbles mixed with "Rocky Mountain Rainbow" aka rainbow trout, yukon gold potatoes, carrots, zucchini and fuji apples.

Geez...the dogs eat better than Adam and I do!

PS
As I write this, Albert is busy burying his rawhide with a blanket on the couch. It's pretty hilarious to watch actually. We bought him a Kong today and we'll fill it up with treats later on to see what he thinks!

Beagle Bash for Cash!

You don't have to own a beagle to enjoy a good beagle bash! Come check it out!

Albert's first 24 hours

Albert's first 24 hours with us have been really encouraging! When we first met him at the shelter, he sat under a table trembling. He came out to see Arthur and Stella, but remained really shy of people. Didn't matter to us...he was so cute and sad looking, and you could see the potential oozing from the little guy!

Vet Visit
Albert's first vet visit went smoothly. He was very good with the vet, and allowed himself to be examined without even making a peep. The shelter originally thought he was between 7 and 9, but the vet thought he was probably a little younger. Adam and I actually think he might be much younger...maybe around 4 or 5.

The vet thought Albert's spleen was a little enlarged and did an ultrasound to double check. There were no other warning signs detected by the ultrasound, and we found out last night that his bloodwork was perfect! *yay* Albert!

His poor teeth, however, are another story. He's got 2 shattered teeth and the vet thinks it is likely from chewing on rocks. The thought of a dog living in a kennel chewing on rocks for comfort makes me want to cry!

Alberts next vet visit will entail some dental work to fix/remove his bad teeth, and neutering procedure which will hopefully help his little habit of humping Arthur whenever he gets a chance.

First Day at Home
Albert has settled into our beagle pack quite nicely. It took him about 10 minutes to lose the shy act with us, and Arthur and Stella (while a little confused about the new dude in town) have been excellent with him. Albert is curling up on the couch and snuggling with us like he's been in the family for years.

He is responding well to his name, and is starting to understand the command 'come'. We are teaching him to sit, stay and lay down, and also using the command 'off' when he tries to counter surf or dive over the couch.

Albert is not fully housetrained, but he's doing a lot better than we had prepared ourselves for. His accidents in the house seem to be him marking territory rather than him having to go to the bathroom. We can tell he is starting to respond to our 'pee pee outside' command (man I feel like a loser for actually typing that!)

We are also using the 'umbilical' concept that Brad Pattison (dog trainer, and host of "At the End of My Leash") uses. This consists of Albert being on his leash in the house, and with either Adam or I with him. This way we can be really consistent with his training, and we set him up for success 100% of the time.

We do, of course, let him run around the house for periods of time with Arthur and Stella so that he can establish his place in the pack, and explore (but under our supervision so if he looks like he's going to have an accident we can get him outside before he does).

Observations:-Our neighbours were outside smoking yesterday. Albert reacted really strongly to the cigarette smell. His tail went between his legs, and he started pacing the backyard. It was pretty obvious that he was nervous, and something about the smell had triggered the reaction. We'll keep an eye on that, but at this point it's pretty clear that a non-smoking forever home would be essential.
-Albert is awesome walking on a leash! He doesn't pull, he's really responsive and seeing his little tail at full mast and the look of wonder in his eyes is so amazing.
-No problems with this guys appetite. He eats his food like a champ (he's a big fan of Merrick's "Grammy's Pot Pie). He isn't into cookies though. He does like a good rawhide bone every now and then. We're going to get him a Kong today to see if he like it.
-Albert has been sleeping in his crate at night. He loves the quilt we've put in it and doesn't make a peep at night. Actually, he rarely makes a peep! He barks only if Stella or Arthur sound the alarm when someone is coming up the stairs, otherwise he's a quiet little guy.

We've nicknamed him 'Albert the Wonder Beagle' because he is a very different dog than we saw in the shelter! He's a really lovely dog with a nice personality and disposition. Why this guy ended up in a shelter is beyond us! I'm just glad that Marna was able to save him, and that we are able to be apart of it!

rescuing beagles

I have been a beagle lover since my teenage years when my family adopted a middle aged beagle from the local pound. We named here Sarah, and I have been a beagle addict from that day forward.

We got our first beagle Stella 7 years ago. We adopted her from a family that had bred their champion hunting beagle with another champion hunting beagle. She was a lemon and white cutey and it was love at first sight!

We adopted our second beagle Arthur 5.5 years ago. We got him from Ray's Beagles in Port Perry...Arthur is arguably the world's nicest dog.

I have long joked about having a beagle farm...a chunk of land where I could have as many beagles as my heart desired allowing me to offer a sanctuary for older dogs, sick dogs...all the misfit beagles that get disposed of once the cute puppy stage is over and the challenge of training the puppy sets in. That is not likely to happen anytime soon, so I started considering the idea of fostering a beagle in need. That's where Big on Beagles came in!

I have known about the beagle rescue here in Toronto for a couple of years. I have often browsed their website to look at all the little dogs that need help and we take our guys to the different beagle events that they run.

Marna - the amazing woman who single handedly runs the rescue - sent a notice around a week ago about a poor dog named Jerry. He had been abandoned, had cherry eye in both eyes, and was in rough shape. This guy was heartbreaking, so I drove out to the shelter to see him. Unfortunately he was too far gone. He bit me unprovoked, and he had obviously been mistreated in a severe way. Arthur, Stella and I drove home feeling very sad.

The next day Marna called to say she was going to see 2 beagles at another shelter. She emailed photos the next day and long story short...we became foster parents to little Albert. Our goal is to get him settled, trained and ready for adoption to his forever home!

This blog will document the journey of us rescuing and fostering Albert. I want to remember the experience, and I want others to learn more about the idea of fostering a dog in need. One person clearly can't adopt all the dogs out there who are down on their luck...but if more people would open their homes to foster dogs, it would make a pretty big impact.