Hi Carol
Love that you foster. I think about it too. Maybe when my grandkids aren't here as much
My bucket list includes seeing California

Yes, do stay and hang out here with us!!

Lily is my little love bug Papillon who does have lots of energy. I never used to go for a walk really before I got her and now we walk all over the place. The exercise is good for both of us!

I don't actually "foster" like on a regular basis. I took the one dog - 3/4 poodle, 1/4 malti - because my friend was so unsettled, and for a while actually homeless but living with relatives. Her other choice was a shelter and none of us could stand that. I've always had my own dogs, including the German Shepherd that gave birth to ten puppies - that was fun. I don't really miss the little guy because he was sooooo happy to be able to get in the car with his MUM for the first time in 18 months. Grinning from ear to ear, literally. I recognize a lot of Nikki's behaviours now, having had one of those around for that long. I hit on a one word command that works for almost all situations - STOP! He stops barking, stops jumping on people, stops whatever he's doing. Of course the command had to be accompanied by physical restraint (my hands) until he got it, which was about two days.

I learned with the GSs that I had to be leader of the pack from the get-go or relinquish that position forever, altho I think I'm a pretty tolerant leader, especially with the little ones. So anyway, I'm looking to see if I really do want my own again, having second thoughts already, except about volunteering at the shelter - that may be enough for me.

Hi, Carol. I'm not in the Northeast, either, but am welcome here, anyway.
Looking forward to you joining in.

OMG that is great

Cute, Deb! Carol, having a dog is a huge responsibility, but I couldn't live without one.....have always had dogs, since birth! My Dad always had to have a dog....Mom, not so much.....she became very depressed when they passed.....her last one, a cairn terrier, lived to 17. Yes, Nicki needs to know who is boss.....I think she would be better behaved if not for breaking both bones in her leg when she was 6 months old......she basically had to sit & lie down for several months, not something a poodle likes to do, & I know I spoiled her.

Easy to spoil them as they are our sweet fur babies.

Lily really is a very good little dog. But when she has been caught being naughty she has no shame. Not sorry at all!

For instance she is a kleenex stealer. Then she runs around the house with the kleenex and shreds it. I tell her she is naughty and take the tissue from her but she is never embarrassed and sorry, No shame at all!

Oh yeah.. Hope and Eros both love to tear up paper products as well.. napkins.. paper towels.. tissue .. not picky which .. Hope will always look guilty if I ask how did this happen.. who did this.. but I usually don't know which one

Too funny....I can just picture Lily & the Yorkies doing that....not Nicki...never touches anything....hard to believe she's so good inside the house, & such a brat when I take her out! Took a long time for our walk this morning....she kept stopping & staring into the woods on the other side of the brook....don't know if there were deer or coyotes around ....or bears....they been wandering since the weather warmed up.....I didn't see a thing, she must have smelled whatever it was.......

Dogs know when things are there even though we can not see them.

Thankfully no bears or coyotes anywhere around here!!

Better walk today....one squirrel, two ravens, no walkers except us!

Its plenty windy out there. You must have been blown around.

The morning walk was windy with icy snow & sleet stinging my face.....afternoon walk was through the woods....quieter & the precip had stopped......was really a nice walk since that trail had been closed by the ice.....it had finally all melted off....today, it's all back....no walks today...Nicki will be driving me to distraction!

Nicki needs her exercise!

Lily had no exercise walk today. First it was raining, now stopped but just too damp and nasty to stay much outside.

I took Nicki to the state park in the afternoon....the roads had been plowed, but we walked around the field in the slush....only ones walking!

Took Lily to Petco to get her raw food that she likes to eat. She likes car rides and she loves walking around in Petco and sniffing at everything.

Lily is much better behaved than Nicki.....she was social until her broken leg....then her personality changed for the worse....I can get her into the grooming side of Petco, but not into the store....she sits & freezes!

RobinD said:Lily is much better behaved than Nicki.....she was social until her broken leg....then her personality changed for the worse....I can get her into the grooming side of Petco, but not into the store....she sits & freezes!

Nicki!!