Here is a picture of Smiley Joe (front right) at his holiday party with his training group.

                                                                    
                RIP Morris. Our cat Morris passed away recently. We are going to miss the little guy.

Our dogs Abby, Mae and Cody are all doing well. Mae could be in the very early stages of doggy dementia.  She gets confused about some routine things some times.  We haven't had any reports on any of our former fosters so hopefully that is a good thing. 

Cody Update:

We have had Cody now for about 3 months.  He is doing great.  He seems happy and healthy. Cody loves being with his humans and us humans are pretty fond of him.

Introducing Cody

Cody's Story
In early April ABR put out a call for a foster family for Cody.  He had been rescued by an ABR volunteer from a shelter. Not much was known of his past.  We knew he was a senior (Edit: during our visit with our longtime Vet he estimates Cody's age to be around 12) and had a few minor medical issues to deal with.  We decided it was time to welcome the next foster into our home.   Jill drove about 3 hours round trip to get him from the vets office where he had been staying for about a week.   From the moment he stepped foot in the house he fell into the routine.  We had planned to slowly introduce him to our cat but as it turned out Cody gently walked up to Morris and introduced himself.  They hit it off right away.  He had no problems sharing the house with our two dogs.  It soon became obvious to us that Cody must have had a different background than a lot of the Brits that are rescued in our area.  His trip to the vet after being pulled had revealed no heartworms, no parasites or any of the nasty things outdoor Brits tend to get where he was from.  It was obvious to us that he had been someones well cared for inside pet and companion.  We later heard that the animal control officer had said that when he went to answer the call the people told him that the "dog appeared on the porch and has been scratching on the front door."  The officer speculated that Cody may have lived there and the people were using the story to get out of the fee the county would have charged for turning their own dog into the pound.  There is no charge for reporting strays.  Anyway if true that scenario unfortunately plays out way too often-- loyal pet gets old, needs medical attention, owner can't afford to pay the bills & the dog gets turned out. 
Cody was our foster dog for only about 72 hours.  At that point we knew he wasn't going anywhere.
He is such a good dog and he is such a natural fit that we decided to adopt him and provide him with the good home he deserves.  He follows me everywhere and faithfully curls up next to me when I'm working in my office.  In the evening he climbs into my chair and becomes my lap dog.  My other two Brits have no interest in being anyone's lap dog.
His medical issues are behind him, he runs and plays, he has put on 4 much needed pounds in 2 weeks and just appears to be totally satisfied with his new lot in life.

Update On Ryder 3-23-14



From her owner:
"Ryder is doing just fine. She's still s-l-o-w to trust/warm up to folks but is better everyday. She is walked a minimum of 5 times each day and usually one of the walks is for at least a mile. We do not need to use the leash to leave the house, I just tell her to load up and she immediately thinks "Road Trip", then runs for the car or truck. When we return, it is the same scenario ... jumps out of the car and heads for the front door. She has slipped her collar several times during the long walks, but does not run off and now usually sits when I put it back on.
Ryder seems to enjoy the winter temps but not the ice ... since we all fell at the same time and she didn't think it was as funny as I did."

He promised to send pictures in the future. 

So many foster dogs have experienced the following I thought I'd post it here as a reminder.
By Carol Bryant | Pet360.com

No and stop it! Get off and sit down! Shut up and stop barking!

If that's all you heard day in and day out, just how low would your spirits sink? We know beyond a reasonable doubt that dogs feel sorrow, they get depressed, and the very essence of who they are as a species is threatened by a very common predator: Mankind. Here are seven things that are guaranteed to destroy the spirit of your dog.

Scold/Yell/Rubbing a Dog's Nose in Waste For Relieving Himself In the House: Dogs know we are mad at them when we yell for their "peeing or pooping" in the house is a myth. Finding a puddle of piddle in the house may not be pleasant for humans, but dogs do not feel guilt when humans disapprove. Instead, they are reacting to the emotional response of their owner, regardless of when the accident occurred. Screaming or yelling reinforces bullying and because it is happening long after the accident, the dog is left confused and afraid of you. Never ever "rub a dog's nose" in poo or pee, as this is disgusting, an old school mentality, and just plain mean.

Hitting a Dog: Long gone are the days of dominance and animal submission and this is a very outdated belief and training method. All hitting does is teach the dog is that you are to be feared. If you need something to hit, take up a punching bag at the gym or seek anger management. Do not, however, bring a dog into your life. He or she does not deserve this treatment.

Punish a Dog in a "Kennel" Time Out: If a puppy is not cooperating or not doing the desired behavior during training, it isn't that he is being "spiteful" or defiant: He is just being a puppy and your behavior needs to be modified. Consider the task at hand and reconsider how you are training. Also, it could be the puppy isn't ready for that task or is distracted. The same holds true for adult dogs. If an adult dog does something you are not pleased about, never "punish" or "banish" them to a kennel.

Take Your Dog's Food or Treats Away While Eating: Not only is this ridiculous, but it serves nothing more than to assert what a grand bully you are. Though there is something to be said for having a pack leader, dogs should be left alone when eating. If a dog is kind, accepting of strangers, and loving when not eating, then let good enough alone. Many people view a dog who growls when eating as being greedy, but this is just a dog being a dog. Some dogs will bite out of fear or confusion, so let dogs be dogs and let them eat in peace.

Don't Walk Your Dog or Engage in Quality Time: If you want something that lives yet requires no attention other than to give it water and occasional sunlight, get a houseplant and not a pet. Dogs thrive on companionship, and without mental and physical stimulation, they slowly wither away. Have you ever seen a dog in a shelter who gets little to no interaction and how sad and destroyed his spirit becomes? Do not let this happen to your dog. We are all busy, but our pets rely on us. Walk away from the electronic devices and walk with your dog instead. No matter a dog's age, they need interaction with you.

Let the Dog Alone for Inordinate Amounts of Time: Again, this is time for a houseplant and not a pet. Dogs need companionship: Not just for the emotional connection and to truly thrive but for their physical well being, too. Would you like to hold your pee in for 10 to 12 hours a day? In fact, some dogs will do so as not to upset their owner. Other dogs will pee inside and then the owner gets made upon return. Seek the services of a family member, friend, neighbor, pet sitter, or doggy day care if you must leave the dog for long hours at a time. Nothing destroys a dog's spirit like emptiness, so don't do it.

Allowing a Dog to Suffer: If an animal is hurt or injured, please seek veterinary care. Allowing an animal to suffer in pain (and dogs are known to hide their symptoms) serves no one. Yes, veterinary care can be expensive, and yes, sometimes we as pet parents don't want to hear our dogs are aging and showing signs of it. We owe it to our dogs to give back the unconditional love and dedication they provide to us.

Though these are not pleasant reminders to read, they are all too true. If a dog you know is being harmed, speak up, do something, and/or tell someone. A dog's life just might depend on it.

The next time I hear the saying "fight like Cats and Dogs" I'll probably think of this..

                                          Our cat Morris and our 10 year old Brittany Mae

Jill drove Brett on a leg of the Brittany express on his journey to his new forever home.

 

 

This is a picture of Java, now known as Winston.  We pulled Winston from a kill shelter along with Ryder and Onyx last March. We fostered Ryder and Onyx. Winston was sent to another foster home.
His owners sent this picture of Winston playing in the snow.

 

 

Click the link to read his success story

 

ABR success story Winston

This is why ABR tries to keep rescued pairs together.  These girls were bonded when they came to us as fosters and we just knew they had to stay together in a forever home.

That's our silly Abby!