We adopted "Addie" from you on January 22, 2013 - small Black Lab mix.  She's doing very well and we adore her already.  She's coming along well with loose-leash walking, basic commands, starting on a few tricks, meeting people very nicely, clean in the house.  She is learning to calm herself outdoors and this is perhaps the most challenging thing for her.  She goes
"over-threshold" very easily, everything, even smells over-stimulate her
and we're not even close to meeting other dogs in the neighbourhood yet.  However, she attends Forever Friends Dog Training Friday seminar (for
apprentices) and so she is learning to cope with dogs there.  We see
improvements each week.  She has done some off-leash work with the owner's lovely male shepherd.  Trassa found this difficult, but did OK.  Cheryl, the owner, says she likely doesn't have much dog-dog experience - yet !!!  She will be starting in the Basic Obedience class on March 16.  It will be challenging for her (five or six other dogs in the class), but she'll manage.  She's a smart little girl.

Thank you for all you do for God's little ones.  We were very impressed with your shelter.

 

Update June '13

Trassa continues to do well.  She has completed her Basic Obedience and is now working through a Mini Agility, all at Forever Friends Dog Training in Ottawa.  We are working hard on her Dog/Dog issues.  She visits Forever Friends Doggy Daycare for an hour or so every Tuesday.  Her entries into the group continue to be "stormy" but once in, she settles fairly quickly and then proceeds to IGNORE all the other dogs.  She is reprimanding well, but I haven't seen her accept one yet, because she stays out of everyone's way.  At first I would muzzle her for her dramatic entries, but now we're entering without the muzzle.  Once she's settled, I take her out and try again.  By the third entry, she's coming in politely.  Each week we have to start over, of course!!!  Her loose leash walking is coming along well and she is now "distractable" when we see other dogs on our walk - usually.  She continues to be lovely with people.  So all in all, coming along well.

Thank you for your excellent work and compassion.

 

Update October '13

Just wanted you to know that anti-social/hysterical Trassa is now running off-leash at Bruce Pit (west end Ottawa Dog Park), behaving like a DOG !!!  She's giving and accepting reprimands appropriately, and even plays occasionally with other dogs, although sniffing is still her favourite sport.   She enjoys rolling in just about anything, and eats everything, dead or alive, fresh or not.  Consequently, she occasionally has a bowel problem !!!  She had a few difficult weeks with, I think, a ragweed allergy in August, but has recovered nicely.  Although her sniffing takes her off the path in the park and into the woods, she keeps her eye on me so I don't get too far away before she rushes to catch up.  She still prefers sleeping on beds to her crate, but doesn't seem offended if she's directed into her crate.  She LOVES socializing with people and attends Wednesday evening Choir Practice at All Saints Lutheran Church, as well as
piano lessons through the week and listens patiently and uncritically to my organ and violin practicing.

Thank you so much for rescuing her and passing her on to me.  I'll send you a picture when I get a GOOD one.

Update December '13

Here she is, not too pleased with the first snowfall.  She has two winter coats, but I think she needs boots as well.  Finds this terrible cold tough.  She is still doing well, learning to speak dog in the off-leash park.  Still loves to eat pooh (OTHER dogs', not her own) even though I've put her on a high end raw meat diet.  It's almost as if she's addicted to it :)  She has also added mice to her raw meat diet.  I pretend I don't mind because if I try to prevent it, she becomes all the more obsessed.  I'm hoping she'll get over it as she gains confidence, but if she doesn't ... I'll just make sure I wash her face before kissing her :) 

She sends you all her Best Wishes for the Christmas Season and thanks you for the wonderful things you do for animals in need, just like her.

Update October '14

In January 2015 it will be 2 years since I adopted my Trassa (formerly Addie).  It's hard to believe, the time goes by so quickly.

With the help of Dr. Beltran (Blair Clinic) we finally came up with a diet that works for her (MANY food intolerances :(  Whole Wheat Cous Cous; boiled Yuca, hard-boiled Egg, extra-lean Ground Beef, Olive Oil, EFA Oil, HMF Powder, L Glutamine, some kind of green powdery stuff and zinc !!!  Her weight is now good and no diarrhea, except of course when she eats pooh.  Oh yes, she still suffers from her pooh addiction :)

She has learned to socialize well with other dogs and has been enjoying off-leash fun in Bruce Pit and the Arboretum.  Unfortunately though, she was attacked by a fridge-sized Boxer in our neighbourhood (she was on leash, Boxer off leash and no collar).  We were just walking by, minding our own business.  Trassa wasn't badly injured but was badly traumatized :(  She has been spooking a bit since then, but doing OK with careful watching.  But yesterday at the Arboretum, at the same time when scary things were happening downtown, we met a Boxer.  Yup.  A nice one too.  Poor Trassa had a panic attack, I couldn't calm her at all (fortunately I was able to get her on leash) and she dragged me at high speed away from the park onto Prince of Wales highway.  Thank G-d she was on leash.  I would have lost her otherwise.  Sooooo, this will take quite a bit of work.  I thought she had put the attack behind her, although I knew I had to watch her.  This was the first Boxer we've met since the attack, so I've learned the hard way.  I think she'll be on leash now for quite a while :(  Oh well.  We'll get back there eventually, I hope.  If not, well, it won't be the end of the world.  She doesn't exactly LOVE other dogs anyway.  But she sure loves people.  I take her everywhere, as long as there are no boxers from now on.

Hope all is well with you.

Update January '15

Two years ago today at about this hour, we drove up to your Shelter and adopted (sight unseen) your little girl Addie, now named Trassa. She came with a fair number of behavioural challenges, as do most rescues, but she has been steadily working through each one. She is now a social butterfly, attending Choir rehearsals, Piano lessons, Violin lessons as well as meetings in three different Churches: Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican. An ecumenical dog !!! Her dog/dog issues have greatly improved, so much so that I have been able to babysit other dogs in my home. We hope to do some fostering for Tiny Paws Rescue and Safe Pets in the near future. Unfortunately, a Boxer attack in September has triggered some "spooking" with big dogs and full blown terror with Boxers, so our off-leash fun has been curtailed for the time being. But we'll get back to it. Trassa has been working hard at dog school and hopes to win a Level III Rosette at the Carolark Training Centre. She has a nice repertoire of tricks as well as a dance routine :) We still have our arguments about winter boots and eating dog pooh :) That's one good thing about being ON leash all the time - easier to control the pooh eating. Her lovely Dr. Beltran has uncovered a long list of food intolerances (Saliva Test - $400 :( ) and so she is now doing very well on a totally home cooked, human grade diet. We sleep together, of course!!! We are celebrating her anniversary with egg rolls.  Unfortunately, she can't have any :) but she's going outside right now for a nice long walk, on leash, no pooh eating.

Thanks again for the wonderful work you and your volunteers do in caring for God's creatures. I watch your site, just in case . . .

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