Soul Mates - Author Talk

From the Author:

Working with Dog Rescue can be rewarding, but it can also break your heart. Anyone who's fostered and given up a dog to another home knows the pain and then they do it again because they know there's another dog out there that needs them. There is always another dog.

The story Soul Mates came from a writing challenge, but it was the love of dogs and experience in dog rescue that moved the story. So many foster dogs come in with emotional baggage, one can only wonder what happened to them. We can patch up the broken bones, give them any medications they need, but their heart takes longer to heal after its been broken by humans.

This story is fiction but I've seen dogs who come into rescue with clouds of fear and uncertainty in their eyes. They pancake to the floor when I reach out to pet them, or bark like crazy at the slightest noise. This is how they learned to protect themselves before they arrived on the rescue's doorstep. It breaks your heart every time. When they start to finally act like a dog again, wagging tail, playing with toys, you feel true joy.

So this book has some hard parts, that's true. One reviewer told me "I laughed, I cried, I loved this book." Another review said "it's about animal abuse!" I don't think that second reviewer read the whole book. If she did, she would have known that although the pup goes through some rough times, the dog is saved. Because that's the story of too many rescue dogs. They come in scared and wounded and rescue does their best to patch them up physically and emotionally.

That's what rescue and foster people do. They save dogs, help them heal, and then find them a good home.

See you in the pages...

Jeanne Donnelly is a New Jersey native and has been writing all her life. With an English/Creative Writing major, she's honed her skills with help from the New Jersey Romance Writers and Liberty State Fiction Writers. Both are great groups that support writers and their dreams.

Adopted! This little boy got a new Home!

Zeek is adopted ! 

 This was one of the fastest fosters I've ever had.  Little Zeek found his forever home with one of the kindest ladies I've ever met. She was looking for a little buddy and wanted one who would get along with other people and dogs. 

At our meet and greet other neighbors came out to meet sweet Zeek and were all excited to have such a gentle little boy in their community. 

I love this match for a few reasons. Zeek is a very shy boy and seeks out love whenever he goes. He's a gentle soul who hasn't had the easiest life so far. I could see the small scars on his body where he might have had a fight. Yet, these things didn't make him mean. He only held love and hope in his heart and wanted to give that to everyone around him. For this reason he needed a calm environment. His new mom is home all the time so he'll get lots of love all day long. She has experience with little dogs so knows the ins and outs of taking care of them. She likes going for walks which is a great thing for dogs. Walking gives a dog a chance to uses all 5 senses and lets them get a taste of what's out there in the world in a safe way.  

Zeeks life will now be filled with lots of hugs and cuddles and walks around the neighborhood. There are friends and neighbors around him that will all show him the love his short life had been missing. 

Yeah, he got a good match & a furever home. Have a happy life little one. 

New Foster Pup!

 

This sweet pup came into rescue from a shelter a few hours away. About 12 lbs, Maybe 5 years old and he's the sweetest little boy ever!  He's slowly getting used to our home and is a bit shy. 

When I picked him up from rescue he was trembling. On the car ride back he wanted to be in my lap. I made him comfortable on a blanket beside me and he settled down.  

When he met our dog, a basset/boxer mix, they did the butt sniff and then just ignored each other.  Mostly because our 8 year old dog doesn't want to be bothered with other dogs. 

So, no this little guy needs a name. Hopefully there will be a decision by tomorrow. I've got a list of names and read them off to him but get no reaction.

 

How to Change a Dog's Name

What's in a name? A rose by any other name is still as sweet.
However...
When you adopt a dog sometimes they come with the name. Either the shelter gave it to them or the rescue or foster mom. And those people have usually named a lot of dogs! Sooner or later the names they give might be too playful, goofy or just down right ridicules.

I had a chihuahua who came into my house as a foster. Somewhere along the line she picked up the name Corona, like the beer. This sweet little girl who came in from a hoarding situation and scared to death of everyone and everything was named after a beer.

Eh.

Somehow it just didn't fit, but I let it go by. After all I was just her foster mom and she would pass onto a permanent home in a few weeks. If they wanted, they could change it.

That's not what happened. This scared little chihuahua wasn't going anywhere. She was a barking, high strung mess at adoption days. She was 9 years old when she was rescued and there weren't many people who would step up for a little dog with a big mouth and who had no idea about affection or cuddling. She set up on one corner of the couch in a little pile of blankets and there she stayed.

Permanently.

When I sat my husband down and give him the news; It's a Chihuahua! He nodded and said, "I figured."

Now it was time to change her name. This much sweetness couldn't be labeled like a beer. Although she was a challenged to everyone from barking at company to running from them, I wanted everyone to know she really was sweet. I named her Cupcake.

To change her name I started calling her Corona-Cupcake. After a week or two of that when I knew she was answering to it I switched it up. Cupcake-Corona. It took only a day for her to answer to it. (Chihuahuas are smart!) Then after another week or so I just called her Cupcake and she answered to it without hesitation.

Success! Name changed.

Remember some dogs pick this up quicker to be patient. Keep using the names together until they get it. Then just drop the old name and go with the new!

Cupcake crossed the rainbow bridge last year but she stays forever in my heart.

Fun at the Veterinarian

Cupcake (nee Corona) went to the vet today.
It wasn't pretty....

Saturday afternoon I noticed one of Cupcake's ears was flopping over. Normally her ears are straight up so this was a surprise.  On the top of her pointy ears was a big soft bump. Did she get bitten by a bug? Stung by a bee? I put some Neosporin on it and figured I'd wait and see.

Sunday
Still swollen. Doesn't seem to bother her.

Monday
Still there. Call the vet. She's not in any pain. Make appointment for Tuesday afternoon.

Tuesday

Take the trembling little Chihuahua to the vet. She starts shaking as soon as she realizes Gracie's isn't coming with us. Cupcake never goes for a walk without Gracie. She tried to get back into the house. I tug her along and put her in the car.

We arrive at vet and she's starting to run in circles. I pick her up before she trips me.

To truly understand how upset Cupcake is you have to know her history. For the first 9 years of her life Cupcake lived in a hoarding situation where she had no medical care, was repeated bred, and was rarely handled. There was no love and affection in this little dog's life before rescue. She came into my house full of fear. After two years she's found her place on our couch and in our hearts. However, that doesn't mean she trusts anyone else.

Cupcake is muzzled because she will bite anyone who tries to touch her. (except me, of course) The vet wants to drain the ear bubble so I hold her body and the assistant holds her legs. Just as the vet moves to drain the ear, Cupcake freaks and starts fighting. POP! The blister on her ear erupts and BloOd goes everywhere. It flew all over me and the table.

We calm her down and get the ear wrapped. As I hold her I say, "I think I smell something."

The vet finishes wrapping the ear. I release Cupcake and she tries to leap off the table. I pull her back and she takes a dump all over me and the table. Then she scrambles her little legs around on the slippery mess to make sure her little gift is spread everywhere. Thank you, Cupcake!

I pay the vet, make an appointment to come in for a recheck next Wednesday, and head home to shower. (Cupcake got a bath in the vet's sink.)

Has your dog ever had one of those fun days at the Veterinarian?

Happy Hump Day!

My Damaged Dog; Chihuahua

I have a Chihuahua who pancakes when I reach for her. Usually pancaking (flattening themselves to the floor) is a sign the dog was abused. I already knew that, but when I pick her up she's trembling. Which leads me to believe someone picked her up and hurt her. Threw her? Beat her? I'll never know what happened to this tiny dog before she came into my house as a foster at age nine, but in the almost two years she's been here, this pancaking behavior is still there when I reach for her. She was 9 when rescued from a life of neglect in a Tennessee hoarding situation. Skinny, shaking, scared. :(

She's a gentle little yapper. More cuddly every day. She used to stand stiffly when I'd pet her. Eventually, I'd move her onto my lap and she'd still be stiff and refused to sit down. She'd come to be petted, but didn't have the trust in her to sit. She was ready to bolt at any moment. It took over a year for her to sit and relax in my lap. Now she'll jump in my lap and curl up to be loved.

She hates company, but luckily we have a quiet house. Just me, hubby, a 10 year old puppy mill Shih Tzu and 20 year old cat. If someone does come over she'll bark at them from the time they come in until they leave. We're working on this issue. At first I'd let the people drop food for her and she'd calm down enough to eat, then resume her barking. After she'd been with us a year, had her spot on the family room couch, dog bed in the front room she claimed as her own, we moved onto shaking pennies in a water bottle. She was startled at first, but soon realized it  meant knock-it-off. She'll quiet for a while and restart. We're working on this issue.

She came to me with the name Corona and I wanted to change it to something ...more gentle, sweeter, but so far nothing's sticking.

I can't change what happen to her and try hard not to dwell on the hate I can feel for those who did this to such a tiny and loving dog. I wish them karma. Let the universe take care of them.

Moving forward I'm open to any suggestions for her barking at anyone who comes into our house. Its incredibly annoying! Although I understand she spent the first 9 years of her life living in fear, I feel there must be a way to let her know no one is going to hurt her now. Ideas?

12 Months a Foster Dog?

What do you call a dog whose been in foster care for 12 months?
Corona

She's a 9...wait...10 year old, Chihuahua rescued from a hoarding situation in Tennessee. Castle of Dreams Animal Rescue brought her up last August with 4 other dogs. All were adopted except Corona.
This little dog had BIG fear issues. Mostly of people, outside, cars, noise, other dogs, and well, everything.

In hoarding situations the dogs rarely have human contact so a simple thing like a rub behind the ears can send the dog into panic mode. She's never been touched by humans so why should she trust you?
She's never been outside in all her 9 years and it really is a big, scary world out there. Cars? Never imagined such things. Other dogs? In a hoarding situation she had to fight for food, to protect her puppies, and even for the small spot of bare floor she called a bed. Her whole life was a fight.

In August 2012 she went to another foster home. She was emaciated, shaking, and so fearful she'd explode in barking fits at the slightest movement in the room. Although she was starting to come out of her shell in that home, things happened and she was moved to my home.

I recognized the fear right away. I could see it in her wide eyes as she tracked my movements, her growling as my own dog or cat went anywhere near her, and her tightly curled body. I set up a crate with a soft bed and blanket. Put a dish of water near by and fed her just outside the crate. She barely left the crate for over a week. One day I looked up and she was exploring the perimeter of the room with slow, hesitant steps. A day later she came up to me as I sat on the couch, gave me a sniff and ran back to the crate. Each day brought a little more daring on the part of this little Chihuahua, everyday she relaxed a little more.

We got a trainer for her. This trainer used positive training and things got a little better. She's more relaxed now, will walk on a leash (actually runs to the door now when the leash comes out instead of hiding). She's a great companion dog now with one exception; she barks at company.
Constantly.
I feel this is her last issue. Other than that she's a great dog. As I write this she's curled up by my side on the couch taking a nap. We're working on the barking. She's still up for adoption, but she is one year in my house this month so its going to hurt so much if she gets adopted.
Do I let her go so I can save another?

Housebreaking a Chihuahua?

I have a foster Chihuahua. Anyone know if it's possible to totally house train a Chihuahua?  She's 9 years old and came from a hoarder so she's never been trained. 

I fostered a puppy (the Chihuahua's been with me since January) and once the puppy started using the wee pads, Corona, the Chi, decided it was beneath her to use the same wee pad as the intruder. After the puppy was adopted, I babysat two cats for my daughter. Corona still didn't want to get back to the wee pads. Now the house is back to normal. . . or as close to normal as we ever get...and she's still missing the wee pad. So do Chihuahua's ever get totally house trained? 

Pancake Dogs Need Forever Homes

I've been fostering for a few years now and I've probably had maybe 100 dogs through my house. (Only 1 or 2 at a time!) some are here and quickly get adopted. Others are harder to find homes for. They have issues. Things happened to them in their short lives that left scars. Invisible scars that can't be seen from the outside.

They might have been neglected. They might have been unsocialized. They might have been beaten. They might have watched other dogs being abused. We may never know. But there's something there. Its in their eyes, in a look of panic they have when approached, in the tension in their bodies. And we have to deal with these issues when they come into the foster home.

I don't want to scare a potential foster to think every dog that might come into your home has a problem. Most don't. Most of the dogs I've had were loving, sweet pups who went on to make great family dogs. If you find a good rescue who knows the ins and outs of fostering they will make sure your foster dog fits your family dynamics so that your fostering experience will be a good one.

When I get a dog into my house that has that deep fear I ignore them. I set up a bed and a crate and show them the water dish. Then I let them sit there, crate door open and ignore them. A dog with fear issues doesn't trust easy. They need time more than anything else. So I watch TV, prepare dinner, do my computer work and avoid eye contact. Eventually they venture out to explore their surroundings. Slowly. We have a fenced in back yard and after a day or so I'll just leave the door open and let them wander in and out. I offer treats and if they don't want to come near me, I just drop them on the floor.

Because these dogs came in contact with some very bad people, they need time to learn to trust again. It's not going to come quickly and sometimes it's not going to be easy. They say time heals all wounds but these dogs need kindness too. They need to know that not all people are bad. Not all people will hurt them.

Corona came from a Hoarder but she pancakes when I reach for her. Pancake is when the dog flattens itself to the floor and cowers in fear. I've had this pup since January and she still pancakes. This shows me that not only was she from a hoarding situation, she was abused, too. Corona weighs 10 lbs, a little Chihuahua.

Sometimes its hard to hold the anger at the people who did this at bay. I have to remind myself that this little soul came into my life to share love and kindness. The anger I feel at those horrible people is useless at this point. It has no place between Corona and I and I have to let it go.

After those first few days of ignoring her, Corona slowly came to trust. She now will take treats from my hand, come over to be petted and runs around the yard chasing squirrels. She is now free from the hoarder and most of the fear that kept her a prisoner in her own mind, but the scars are still there. When company comes over, she barks incessantly. I either have to hold her or crate her. But its improving. It's one of the last things we're working on.

Right now she's beside me on the couch, tapping me with her little paws so I pay attention to her and not my keyboard. She's giving me kisses and letting me know when she has to go out. She's sweet and loving but at 8 years old, adopting her out will be hard.

Dogs, Coats and Fear

Corona wasn't feeling good this morning. I woke up to realize her tummy must have been upset over night. The results were all over the family room floor. She wouldn't eat and didn't want to go out. I put a little coat on her and she still wouldn't go out. I carried her out and she ran back in. Okay, I wasn't going to push it. We keep our house at a cool 68 degrees so I left her little coat on her.

We had a dog adoption day and I had a crate I had to drop off so I left Corona home and took my Shih Tzu, Gracie with me. The adoption day looked like a success, crowds of people checking out the dogs, a few who had completed adoption applications and were approved were picking up their new dogs. I handed over the crate, chatted a bit and then headed home to check on Corona.

When I got home Corona was huddled in the dog bed in the front living room. She didn't come to bark as I came in, she didn't run up for pets. Slowly she followed me into the kitchen and crawled into the bed there. I opened the back door to see if she had to go out and she just looked at me. Right about then I'm thinking we'll be heading to the vet tomorrow.

Now I'm really worried.

So I check her over, she looks fine, isn't whimpering or wincing when I touch her. I take the little coat off her. I turn to fold the coat and put it on the shelf. I turn around and she's up and running for the door, yapping happily. She runs over to the food dish and takes a few bites. Runs up to me wagging her tail.

Really?

All this poor sick doggy act because I put a coat on her?
And she's a short haired Chihuahua! She needs a coat when its 30 degrees out!

Just another adventure in fostering.....

Senior Dog Adoption

Adopt a senior dog. We hear that all over. The word "senior" would be different depending on the breed. I adopted my Shih Tzu from a puppy mill in Missouri. She was 7 at the time. Definitely not a puppy but I didn't consider her a senior. Shih Tzu's live like 15 years in optimum health. I think of her more as middle aged. Although she acts like a puppy.

My foster dog is Corona. She's an 8 year old Chihuahua from a hoarder. Very shy and sweet but learning to live with people. I believe she was abused at some point because she pancakes. (Pancakes: flattens to floor in fear when reached for, usually due to past abuse) But if she finds a family that's calm and quiet, she'll do fine. I won't adopt her to a family with kids. Even though 8 isn't old for a Chi, she hasn't been with kids, ever.

Are either of these dogs seniors? What's the line that declares a dog a senior pup? Is it the grey in their face? The hitch in their gait? Corona is very grey so she even looks older. This cold NJ air doesn't help (where the heck is spring?) but I tuck her in every night, wrap a fleece blanket around her little body and let her snuggle into dream land.

Senior Dog considerations:
1. Already housebroken
2. May have good house manners
3. Vet checked and no health issues
4. Calmer, they're out of the puppyhood and into lets relax
5. They want to love you forever.

Corona is available at www.castle-of-dreams.com She's looking for an older couple, quiet home and lots of love

Seniors & Big Dogs are Harder to Adopt

Hard times, Good times...

Sometimes fostering a dog can bring great joy. You take a scared pup into your home, work through the issues, and help them learn what its like to live with love. Then they find a good home and you miss them but you know in your heart they're off to a happy life. That's the reward, the heartbreak and the reason you do it again.

Then there's Trouble. This little brown and white Chihuahua came from a southern shelter. They said he had one deformed leg. Okay, we can deal. Send him up on the next transport. We get dogs with issues all the time. Heartworm is rampant in the south and treating it can be expensive, but we have great volunteers and good vets who help us muddle through the treatment. Parvo? It happens. Sometimes seemingly healthy pups come up and WHAM! Parvo! It sucks, but it's treatable. The volunteer is on 24/7 alert in helping the dog survive but it can be done. We've had to do it a million times and the dogs go on to live healthy lives.
But when Trouble arrived and we placed the little guy on the ground we discovered he had more than a deformed front leg. Both back legs wobbled like he couldn't balance on them at all. Off we go to the vet to discover this little guy was in a lot of pain. Both back knee caps were dislocated and that deformed front leg were all the results of severe abuse. Surgery to fix this little guy will cost over $6000. Yes, Trouble has real trouble.
So we deal. Fundraising goes viral and movies are made and flyers go out. Six grand is a lot of money and bottom line is---we have to raise it because Trouble will be fixed. Castle of Dreams Animal Rescue doesn't give up on any dog.
So we move on and then comes a little Shih Tzu up from the south. She's cute and happy but, after we shave her down so we can see this little girl under all the matting, her face looks funny, lopsided. Something we couldn't see under all the matting. A trip to the vet and we find out her jaw is dislocated. The vet said she must have been kicked in the face at some point.
That's two injured, abused pups in one month. SHEESH! What kind of people abuse animals and then just dump them in shelters? My first reaction is hate. Pure ugly hate. I hate these people and think they should be locked away where they can't ever hurt another living thing. They are not fit to be called humans.
I hate this hate. It's useless. It wastes energy and brings me down.
Instead of focusing on the hate I push it aside and focus on what we can change. We can get Trouble fixed. We can get that little Shih Tzu's jaw fixed. We can move on and keep going and not let the ugly people in this world stop us.
To donate to help either of these pups go to Castle of Dreams Animal Rescue

SOUL MATES

My novella, Soul Mates (A different kind of love story) is now available from Amazon on Kindle!

After a tragic death on mean city streets, a woman meets God and begs him to let her reincarnate to bring the heavenly message of unconditional love to the world. Follow the adventure when she is tossed back to earth as one of the smallest dogs on the planet.