Preston

Preston!
The sweetest terrier mix there ever was.

I called Preston "Crash." He loved you so much, he "crashed" into you in an effort to be closer.



Preston was a stray for at least part of his life. He hadn't been treated for fleas and ticks until shortly before he arrived in Minnesota so he had tons of itchy, scratchy bites and to keep him from itching and scratching those itchy, scratchy bites, Preston had to wear a cone.

The dreaded Elizabethan Collar - or as we realists put it - the CONE. The cone brought with it new "crash" elements. Crashing into doorways, stairs, the backs of my knees...plus he had developed a nasty hot spot.

You can see the start of his hot spot

I didn't get a ton of cooperation from Preston in his wearing of the e-collar. But it got the job done!

This cuddle bug came close to being a "foster fail" (this is when the foster home adopts the rescue dog). It seems they all do one way or another. But he went to a great couple who will definitely enjoy him. And word on the street is - he might become one of those dogs that kids read to at the library! He'll do great as long as he can stop kissing them long enough to pay attention to the story!

Casper

My first temporary foggie (his foster family was leaving town for a long weekend), Casper, arrived Thursday night, April 26, 2012.  What would have been my father's 66th birthday. He would have loved this 60 lb lab mix. Gentle, playful, and beautiful. That was Casper.

Casper, all elbows

He'd been through a house fire with his original human family. He knew only how to play with his littermate, sister Powder. It was clear he hadn't been exposed to much. He was anxious at the dog park, anxious in the car, anxious, anxious, anxious. Did you know labs shed more when they're nervous? Me neither! Luckily my foster coordinator introduced me to the FURminator.

Casper's sister was having a worse time, though. She jumped through her foster family's picture window after being frightened by a passing garbage truck. Everyone is OK but she might need a little more work before she's ready for adoption.

So anxious he shed like a snake molting its skin. But look at that face!

Casper, the friendliest of ghosts, joined me for the weekend before my final project was due for spring semester. I explained the situation to him and he responded by being calm, chewing his bones, and patiently waiting for playtime.

Casper the Friendliest of Ghosts

And though I don't think he knew what he was doing when he hopped into the trunk, when the time came to take him back to his permanent foster family, he even helped me say goodbye.