I don't know what to do with Shulamith

I placed Shulamith with what I thought was a great home.I spent a lot of time going over her issues with other dogs and cats. I thought they understood that she can't be around other animals. Well......when they went to PetsMart to buy a crate and other things they needed,they took Shulamith with them . After I spent all that time explaining her issues with other animals,they took her to Petsmart. She went after another dog and the man got bitten trying to separate the dogs.Are people deaf or just stupid? How much plainer can you get when you tell them,she eats cats and hates other dogs.Well, she is back. Not even gone one day and she is back. I just don't know what to do with this dog. I want her to have a good home,but I just can't seem to find that home.Is there no one out their that wants a beautiful spayed female German Shepherd,current on all shots, that needs to be the only pet in the family. Some one that will love her and treat her with kindness and patience and work on her training and KEEP HER AWAY FROM OTHER ANIMALS????????  I just don't know what to do with her now that she has bitten . She never bit any one while she was in my home. She is really a people dog. But when she is around other animals she will go after them.   To be continued............

Sedona is learning very fast

Sedona is walking on a loose leash and is well on her way to being house broken. The only time she goes in her crate is if I don't get her out in time.She has learned to sit on cue even with out a treat. We are now working on the down command. She also comes to me when I call her name.When I put her in the crate, she has learned to stay while I am closing the door. She used to try and run out when I was closing the door but now she stays.She loves to play with all her toys and has discovered the squeaker in the toys and she squeaks them non stop when she is out running around the living room. She lays on the blanket under the computer desk and chews on her white bones and squeaks her toys. Then she will start running around and tossing her toys in the air and catches them and runs some more.She has a multi colored bird and a Santa and and a squirl and a teddy bear. She also has a tennis ball,a hard rubber ball,a pear shaped hard rubber ball and a spiked dumbell and a hard rubber donut shaped toy. Do you think she has enough toys? She is now eating the small milk bones and she loves them.She has been having loose stools on the Taste of the Wild, Pacific Stream, puppy food, so I am changing her over to Purina Pro Plan ,Sensative Skin and Stomach. Max, my old Border Collie, RIP, did well on this food . He had digestive issues and that food really helped him. Sedona does not have any skin problems but maybe it will help her digestive issues. I am also giving her a probiotic and that is helping some.She has a vet appointment to get a stool sample on Monday.   To be continued............

Shulamith is back

Shulamith was returrned to me. The man that took her did not do as he promised. He did not find a trainer to work with him and the dog.Evidently, he bought a cheap harness and put that on her and removed the collars I gave him with the dog. Of course he had no control on a very energetic, strong dog and she pulled him down.He returned the dog with out the collars so now I have to go buy a new collar for her.Right now I have a collar on her that was Shaman's and it is really too small for her. My friend Johnny and I put up some chain link fencing so I can keep her away from my other dogs. She is still being advertised so I hope the right person will want a very nice German Shepherd that need some more training and some one to love,and show patience with her. She deserves to have a nice home with someone who will really care about her and that has no other animals.    to be continued...........

Good News !

Shaman had his growth removed yesterday. It turned out to be a cyst and not a soft tissue sarcoma. A large fluid filled cyst and  NOT cancer.I am greatly relieved, and he is doing fine.Shaman does not have cancer after all.I am so happy that my beautiful boy is OK !!!!!!!!!!!  to be continued..........

Shulamith went to a new home

Shulamith went home with a disabled Vet. She will be his companion. He is aware of her behavioural problems and is willing to work with her. I hope it works out for the both of them.

Shaman has cancer

I took Shaman in to a different vet to have his growth looked at and as I suspected, he has cancer. She called it a soft tissue sarcoma. I should have taken him in to get a second opinion when I was told it was a cyst and to leave it alone as it would only come back if the vet removed it. I won't make that mistake again. I made an appointment to have the tumor removed. I hope they can get it all out. Poor Shaman, he has suffered so many problems in his life time.He is only 7 years old. I will do what I can for him. He is such a wonderful dog. I am greatly saddened as don't know how much longer I will have him...   to be continued...............

Sedona

Carla came over the other day and took pictures of the dogs and also Sedona. She also brought some collars and some toys for Sedona. Carla also took pictures of Shulamith so we can post her on craigs list. This is Sedona before her other ear came up.

I have a new puppy !

I have a new Puppy,but it is not a white shepherd.I had no luck with the white shepherd breeders. One turned me down because she said I already had too many dogs. The other breeder said she would sell me a puppy but, she would not have any until next year and she said she already had some reservations on that planned breeding that she had to honer. If there was a female left,then I could have that one.I decided to keep looking,because I need a dog that has the right temperament  to be a guide dog. If there were a female  puppy left after the people who already had reservations on what they wanted, well I don't know for sure if that one would be the right one for the job.I decided to look at Dutch Shepherds as that was my second choice after I found out that the Belgian breeders were not planning any litters for the next couple of years.I emailed several breeders. One was in Phoenix. The only one I heard back from was Aachen Kennels. Keely McKee emailed me back with in 5 minutes of her getting my email. Any way she gave me a real good deal on a female puppy.These puppies are temperament tested to see what they are best suited for as Aachen Kennels sells a lot of their dogs for police work,detection work,Dog sports and service and therapy work.The rest are sold as pets or for private security and protection.This puppy was classified as a pet.She did not have the drive needed for police work. The more she described this puppy,I agreed that she just might be right for training as a guide dog. My puppy was shipped by air and arrived on the 20th of November. She is absolutely beautiful,and is very smart. She is already walking on a leash pretty well. She also pees out side and we are still working on pooping out side.She is only 9 weeks old.She comes to her name and comes when I call her.Her name is Sedona.When she first arrived,she had one ear up and the other one sort of half up. It is now up all the way.I think she is growing each night. She is already bigger than she was the first day and is getting heavier to pick up. She is so sweet,I just love her so much. I have had some calls on Shulamith,but the people had other small dogs so I told them that she does not get along with other dogs. One woman called and wanted her. She had an infant child.When you have a small child, you do not have time to work with a German Shepherd that needs continued training. I also don't know how Shulamith is with small children. Shulamith is a very energetic dog and might knock down a small child. I still have hope that the right person is out there somewhere looking for a shepherd that needs love,kindness and training.Today when I was working with Shulamith,She sat, lay down and sat up again, on cue and off leash. She is a smart dog and enjoys doing the things I have taught her. She just needs some one who is patient with her and will work with her every day. She really is a nice dog. She just needs to live without other dogs.    To be continued..........

I am thinking about getting a White Shepherd Puppy

I have decided that rescue dogs are not the way to go when looking for a dog to train.I have had very limited success doing that. Lily was bought from a breeder,Nala was bought from a breeder and Nici also came from a breeder. The only rescue that worked out as a guide dog was Shaman.There were several dogs,all rescues, that did not work out. It is heart breaking to start training a dog and then realize that for various reasons, that dog is just not the right dog for the job.You have already become attached to this dog and now you must find another home for it.Then you have to start all over again,looking for the right dog.Well, I can't seem to find the right dog.When I think I might have found one and reply to the add,the dog is either already taken or no one even answers my inquiry.I am looking for a specific breed  and most of the dogs in the shelters here are Pit Bulls or Chihuahuas.I am thinking about getting a puppy to train.I have always wanted a White Shepherd,but the White Shepherd Rescue here will not let you adopt one if you have more than one other dog. I am hopping that I can purchase a puppy from a breeder.I have filled out an application with one breeder so far. I will wait and see how that goes. If I get a puppy to train,it won't come to me with any bad habits that have to be untrained. I will have a dog that I can train to do the tasks that I need in my guide dog. A dog customized to my needs..If it is meant to be,it will happen. I am hoping it will.......  to be continued......

Shulamith is up for adoption

The Rescue where I got Shulamith has said that I can find her a home as they still do not have room for her. Johnny and Dave have said they will help me find the right home for her. Carla also offered to help and so did my house keeper as she is also in Rescue.I should be able to find some one who will be the right person for her.I am still looking for that right dog to train.I am looking for another Shepherd, or possibly a Husky Shepherd mix. I hope I find a dog before the winter months are over. It is very hard for me to train in the Summer as the heat is just too much for me. I can do the Mall and go shopping while training but I need to be able to train for Traffic checks and curbs and over head obstacles and other obstacle avoidance ect. out side. These things can not be learned in a mall. I would really like to find another Belgian Shepherd,but it will have to be a female. I can't bring in another male. This would not be fair to Shaman.Most of all, I need a dog that can get along with and live with other dogs and does not fight. I need a dog that is tall enough and has long legs so that she can work from my power wheelchair with no trouble. I need a dog that is willing to work and learn all the things that a guide dog needs to know,so we can work as a team and keep each other safe. The hardest part of training your own guide dog is finding the right dog to train. It is very time consuming and if the dog does not work out,you have to find another home for it and start all over again.         to be continued..............