Traffic jam

[Note: No blog entry here on Memorial Day Monday last week, but two entries this week!]

Bob, a black Lab retriever who's brand-new here at the SF/SPCA, got his very first walk in San Francisco from yours truly. I learned a lot about Bob during our walk, especially on the way back. Bob is into having short walks right now. So he's perfect for someone who prefers low-impact workouts. He would love to stroll around the block or through the park with you. He doesn't seem to need to be run more than 10 feet at a time at this point, and the only leash-pulling I experienced from him was of the "Hey, can we please slow down" variety. So if a user-friendly routine of mellow, laid-back dog maintenance fits into your future plans, Bob could very well be your guy.

By the way, not knowing any of the above until after I had subjected Bob to my standard Marine Corps boot camp-style running and sprinting program during our walk, I got schooled in the meaning of "low energy" as written on Bob's chart. Upon returning to the building, he decided "OK, enough is enough already" and laid down in the middle of the lobby with his tongue hanging out of his head onto the floor like a wet kickstand. All I could do was stand over him with my hands on my hips like the time I stood on a deserted stretch of I-80 at 2 in the morning staring into the open hood of my '87 Pathfinder, wondering if it would carry me another couple exits before its alternator gave out for good. Much like my truck, Bob wasn't budging. Maybe next time for just these sorts of situations I should bring flares and a sign reading "Dog stall; Expect delays." Oh, and a "Wet floor/Piso mojado" sign for the drool. You can never be too prepared.


To conclude our little traffic report, we finally got the left lane cleared of this stall (it took 2 of us to get Bob to his feet and marching the 10 steps or so back to his room). He's a great dog who knows his limits, behaves perfectly, and asks only that someone gives him a 3-word workout routine: Short 'n' sweet.

As of 5/28/08:
Bob...AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION pending evaluation.

The Ruthie Plan

Forget the Atkins Diet. Scrap your gym membership. EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT, when you get yourself on the Ruthie running program. Ruthie is a vibrant young Aussie Cattledog mix. Her energy level is at once astonishing and inspiring. When her chart tells you, "I am a sweet, young, energetic girl," then you best believe every word. Especially the "energetic" part, which is the key to this whole deal.

Once properly leashed up, we ran out of her room, we ran down the corridor, we ran through the SPCA lobby, we ran out the door, and we ran straight to the park. For a change of pace, we sprinted half a lap around the park, then jogged a lap, then ran again. We ended with what you could call a brisk racewalk--no, actually, it was a run.

Then finally I said, "Sit. Smile the biggest smile ever!"

See that? Don't mistake Ruthie's "energetic" label for "wild." She knows her commands. Ruthie is an Academy dog! That means she has her own personal dog trainer from the training academy who works with her for several sessions a week. Soon, whe will graduate. When she does, you can adopt her and become the proud human of the loveable Ruthie exercise machine!

As of 5/16/08:
Ruthie...AVAILABLE to be met; AVAILBLE FOR ADOPTION upon graduation.

Storm warning

What's new with the puppies, you ask? They're still sleeping this week, but they've moved to the puppy bed on the opposite side of their room. Hence the wierd camera angle:

The first dog up for a walk today got the bonus upgrade: He got adopted before we even made it out! So we had one last training session in his room. Here he is bidding me farewell just moments prior to beginning his new life:

A friend of mine asked me this evening if I had exercised today, and I said, "Yes, I walked dogs at the SPCA." Really? That counts as a workout? Well, it does when you walk a dog named Tornado. A black lab/Weimarner mix, Tornado is living proof that if the name fits, wear it! She's the most, eh, "spirited" gal I've met in quite some time. OK, she's a walking triple-shot of espresso in a bottle of Red Bull. But she also makes me want to snatch her up for myself if somebody else doesn't adopt her. She's just that awesome (if you're into that whole atomic blast-of-energy thing).

I think I can best describe the ideal candidate for Tornado's new owner with a craigslist-style job posting:

Human companion wanted by energetic, sweet lab/Weimarner mix.

Specific duties would include:
-Preparing your home for occasional impact from flying dog
-Showing lots of patience
-Preparing your body for constant impact from flying dog

Ideal candidate probably would not have:
-A need for excessive peace and quiet
-Osteoperosis
-Hemophilia (just don't be a bleeder, OK?)

Not required but helpful:
-Experience with mosh pits
-Ability to take a hit from a flying furball at 400 miles per hour.

Perks:
-Lasting physical fitness (better than a gym)
-Unending love and affection
-Lots of laughs

To meet Tornado for a person-to-dog interview, just come on down to the San Francisco SPCA!

As a cool-down after Tornado, I walked Bernie. He's been featured here before, and the excellent progress he's made since then (2 months ago) is evident. His chart specifically points out that he's "an affectionate, people-centered dog." That's the truth. Bernie, you're beautiful!

As of 5/12/08:
Tornado...AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION.
Bernie...AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION.

Save Tillie!...plus Puppies Part III

OK, it's time once again to check in with our puppies:

Still 3 puppies, sleeping in a pile. What seems to be the only difference since last week is that their coats have gotten a few shades darker. Hey, this is a whole new batch of puppies! Sweet...We'll continue to chart their ongoing progress next week.

Now onto our theme for this week, which is:

That's right, it's time to save Tillie! Not the famous Jersey boardwalk icon, but Tillie, the black lab retriever mix right here at the The San Francisco SPCA. Tillie is in our "dog-reactive" category, which means she goes bonkers at the sight, smell, or sound of any other member of her species. Just to qualify to walk a dog like her, we volunteers require additional specialized Dog-Reactive training. Today I called upon everything I learned in that training to keep Tillie on task during our walk. In fact, she's the only dog I walked today--we spent a significant amount of time on training her using a whole lot of repetition and basically fleeing in the opposite direction every time any dog came within range of Tillie's very acute senses of hearing and smell.

One thing her chart or her categorization may not tell you: Tillie's not a fighter. During one of our laps around the park, a medium-sized off-leash dog came sprinting up to us. I braced for impact. And then...there was peace in the streets. The two dogs sniffed each other, tails wagging, and that was that.

It's going to take a special someone to "save Tillie." You'll need a sense of humor to laugh at her dogged persistence in her dog-reactive behavior, but with equally dogged persistence on your part, you'll be able to have full confidence that she'll get so much better on her path to becoming her future human's best friend.

After working with Tillie, I had a thoroughly enjoyable in-room training session with Hank. He's a so-sweet 1-year old Boxer mix. At first, and only at first, Hank was jumping when I entered his room. He'd already had a walk, so we worked on getting him to change his jumpin' ways. Sometimes a dog will surprise you by how swiftly he can learn. Hank did just that--he stopped jumping right quick when I said "No!" and he transitioned into playing a nice game of sit, stay, come (repeat). He's very affectionate, which I personally think is great, but it also means that you'll need to give him lots o' attention and playtime. So if you bring home this great guy, eat your Wheaties in the morning so that you can keep up with him!

As of 5/5/08:

Tillie...AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION.
Hank...AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION.