Things are still going great. He is a love… We have been playing frisbee alot, we were going for a walk on the bike trail this AM but a little rainy so hopefully this afternoon.

We are having a blast…

Jack is doing really well. We are keeping him on a long lead line when we are swimming and while being outside with us. We are using this lead line to try to teach him to come when called. He does come most of the time, but we are working on getting a 100% reaction. I have been training for the last two weeks with Jack to sit and stay as well as teaching him to stay in the yard with the electric fence. Jack is doing very well. Jack learns very quickly it still amazes me how smart he is.

We also are still on the “easy” command with food - I still have all my fingers so it’s working. Jack does not hang out around the table while we are eating he will now stay away when commanded to do so. He is slowly realizing that there is enough food to go around and he won’t miss getting some great treats if he behaves. We are also working on walking with the leash daily. Jack does very well about 5 minutes into the walk, it is the initial going outdoors with him. He try’s to pull you out the door and down the street within the first 3-5 minutes so we are working on trying to get his excitement level down a notch.

We had a very interesting visit to the vet this week. Jack barks when he wants to get what he wants which created a whole group of dogs at the vet to bark along with him. We have instilled a “enough” command to prevent him from barking when he absolutely has to have the toy you have or another dog has it. Jack is also very consistent in licking Murphy’s face which started the “enough” command. Jack is doing very well learning this command.

The vet said Jack is in great condition and a goofy boy. Jack stayed when asked which was great to be able to give him his shot and for the vet to hear his heart with the stethoscope. He chased the stethoscope for a couple of minutes because he is interested in everything. If it moves, shines or makes noise Jack will chase it, lick it or bark to have it. We are having a great time playing, laughing and enjoying Jack. Murphy is growing attached to him to which is great.

Well we have had Buster for a week now and he is settling well. He has been a very good boy no problems. We take him for walks around the neighborhood at least twice a day - it is funny to see me walking down the street with a stroller, Lexi, Buster, and Jade. Yes the cat fallows us too. Also have been going to the bike trail for walks as well. When we walk on the bike trail he has been very good when other dog’s pass he sniffs for a second then keeps walking with us. We have him signed up for the next session at Derby Farms in Harwich for some training “although he is very well trained” it will be probably more of a refresher for us. Lexi won’t let one night go by without Buster sleeping next to her bed. We are very happy and think Buster is as well.

Thanks so much

We were so fortunate to have fostered Patch back in 2007, and Patch’s ‘mom’ gave us the ok to send NEARR an update. After Patch was adopted, his new ‘mom’ kept in touch with us and even arranged for Patch to stay with us when she traveled. Seeing Patch flourish in his new home was such a joy for us. When we fostered him, he wasn’t an easy placement because of his age and his dominant tendencies, but we knew he was the best dog and he was just full of love and full of life. And it is clear that Patch truly found his soulmate in his new Mom!

In May, his Mom graduated from vet school and relocated to California with Patch, driving together across the country in a giant truck. Saying goodbye to Patch was hard for us, but we are so happy to see him thriving out in CA. He is now a beach bum, making new human and canine friends, and enjoying the sunshine and the waves. And somehow, at 11 years old, he even looks younger! As you can see from the pics, Patch is a happy, healthy dog and doesn’t act like an 11 year old lab/great dane mix!

I’m pleased to announce Onyx swam this weekend! We live by the ocean and rivers and he has been hesitant to swim (unlike our other dog who we can’t keep out of the water) but this weekend Onyx went in for a few seconds :)

He’s been enjoying the beach this summer and dug his first hole (see picture). He has been running early in the morning with me and also walking castle island with my friends. Seen here with his pal ella (in stroller). Onyx loves the freedom of the car rides we take (see attached) and has been behaving quite well in the backseat.

It has been an interesting time since Pecana’s arrival. She, as Roz and I, seem to be adjusting quicker than we expected. Pecana keeps a close watch on us both and seems to stay under my feet whenever she can. As example, she is laying beside my chair as I am emailing you with her head on one of the chair legs (a seemingly usual position).

She is getting morning and afternoon walks and a good amount of playtime, retrieving and swimming in our back yard. She has really improved on her swimming technique.

Well, it’s been a little over 6 months since Rudy joined our family. He’s done very well settling in. He really enjoys playing with his “brothers” and especially loves “his” little girl. We took him to the lake for the first time and we didn’t quite know what to expect. Well, true to the lab nature, he took to the water like a fish and, if we let him, would have probably swam all the way across the bay!! Only one problem…he’s a noodle thief!! He just stole the noodle from our daughter and brought it back to shore. AND He’s corrupted his brother Sam to do the same. It’s hysterical! He was also attempting to fish under the dock, but he only caught rocks. He had a wonderful day at the lake and thoroughly enjoyed his time in the water.

Back at home, he’s been enjoying the long walks in the forest everyday and just hanging out with the family at night. He loves to bring you a present when you come home…whatever he can find - shoe, toy, blanket, doesn’t matter - as long as he finds something to bring. The tail never stops wagging and the mischievous looks are great - especially during a game of tug of war.

He has been a wonderful addition to our family and we are happy he accepted us as his forever home.

Jack is doing great. Our first 7 days where spent at our lake house with our 6 year old yellow lab Murphy and my sister in laws 1 year old chocolate lab Maggie. Jack enjoyed playing with Maggie and Murphy but also liked to curl up under your feet for some quite time.

Jack follows simple commands and I am broadening his command list. I have already taught him speak (bark) for a treat and stay away from the table while we are eating. He also will stay in small increments until I say it is ok for him to roam again. Jack learns very quickly. I am amazed at how anxious he is to please you.

We took him for boat rides on the lake and he is very happy to sit on your lap or take your seat on the boat. I think he would have rode the jet ski or tube too, if we let him. Jack wants to be with you at all times. He is not really interested in roaming. He follows you where ever you go. Jack jumps off our dock to get his toys in the water so he had a lot of exercise while we were there. We are working on him giving you back the toy without taking your hand off. He is getting better. We are also working with Jack to teach him to swim with people, not on top of them. Thanks to advice from NEARR and others, we have managed to have Jack swim safety among us and will continue to work with him. We still have some work on his anxiousness but we are moving in the right direction.

Jack has not spent one night in the crate since we got him. He is happy to sleep with my daughter Julia or on his bed in the same area as Murphy without having any issues. He has lots of chew toys and stuffed animals so he has been great out of his crate. He loves bones. Jack has yet to chew anything that has not been given to him. This week back in our regular home, we are working on staying in the yard and short car rides. Already we feel as if Jack has been with us since birth.

Ruby has been with us just over a year and we feel that she has been with us forever. Here is a picture of her during her favorite activity – playing catch with a tennis ball – well almost…she would drop that ball for a treat in a heartbeat and definitely drop it to chase a squirrel. She and Bumper have figured out their relationship and get along just fine. If he lays down in her way, she just steps right over him to get where she wants.

Ruby still gets stressed during thunderstorms. She has found the inside of our shower stall, which we now keep open at all times and she hangs out in there.

We feel incredibly lucky that she came to live with us – thank you NEARR for making such a great match!

Time has flown. This is Maisy’s two year update, which is a little late.

Maisy is great. The vet was very successful in treating her obsessive paw licking. That’s just a memory now.

Maisy is a very happy dog. She loves her kong, treats, any visitors, rides in the car, food, her squeaky toy and just hanging out on the couch. Its hard to believe she just turned 8 because she is very high energy.

We’re doing very well together. I’m very glad Maisy chose me for her her forever family.

Daisy’s been our girl for 2 months now, and we are delighted she is with us. She is a joyful, playful, funny little girl. (She’s not really that little, but compared to our giant labbie boy Frosty, she seems it.) She absolutely loves the clicker unleashed class we are taking, and she is enjoying her unleashed walks in the conservation area near us and out in our yard and pond. She’s great about coming when called as long as I ‘m carrying treats, but I’m not ready to trust her without them yet.

We are also doing some agility in class and she loves that so much that her dad is setting up some obstacles in the yard for her. I think we’ll take a regular agility class next. I can’t believe how active and enthusiastic she is at almost 9 years old.

Daisy is just getting over an ear infection and a yeast infection on her paws. At first she didn’t want us to clean her ears or handle her paws, but she’s getting used to it and being pretty cooperative as long as there are treats involved. She’s very food motivated- she’s a lab after all. The vet thinks she might have some allergies, but other than that, he says she’s very healthy.

We’ve had a house full of teenagers for the last month- my niece and nephews along with some of their friends. Daisy thinks that is just great. She’s thriving on all the confusion and attention, just more people to love her. I think she’ll miss them when they all go back home or off to college this fall.

We are so very happy that Daisy is part of our family.

Tika continues to be a wonderful dog. She had a check up at the vet recently and she is down to her ‘goal weight’ of 79 pounds! She looks great but when she rolls over you can see all her extra skin from when she was considerably heavier. She gets out everyday for a long walk.

We recently camped out in the yard in a tent and she slept out with us! She is happiest when she is with one of her pack members! She has had no symptoms of epilepsy and is on no medication. She still loves the great ‘fish’ food food that Donna started her on and her coat looks amazing (except when I am vacuuming it up from the floor!). She gives us lots of love and is really such a treasure.

We really hit the jackpot with this amazing animal.

Sophie and I have been in each others lives for 1.5 years now and she is a light of my life. Unfortunately, Sophie was diagnosed with early onset hip dysplasia last November, but we are working on her diet to alleviate any discomfort as well as taking glucosamine/salmon oil. About 6 months ago, she also stopped sucking on her paws and the yeast infections in between her paw pads has gone away entirely. What a relief for both of us!

I am also happy to report that Sophie *loves* the water. We go for long walks along the Intracoastal waterway on Palm Beach and she jumps up on the sea wall to watch the water and the birds. This summer, I plan to take her up to our family’s little island home in Ontario , Canada . I know she will love being there with my family - who all love Goldens!

Again, it is so wonderful to have Sophie in my life! Thank you again and again NEARR for creating a great match.

I hope this email finds you well and enjoying the summer. Max is doing absolutely fantastic and loving his life with us! We take daily walks at the beach and he loves running in the ocean, chasing the birds, playing with other dogs, and playing fetch with a tennis ball. He is so much better about not tearing off the fuzz anymore and not barking for people to throw it. We use “leave it” from school for him to drop the ball so we can throw it again. Cuddling is still his favorite activity. As you can see from the attached picture, Missy and Max are quite fond of each other and enjoy their resting time just as much as play time. Max really loves being with people, and we love having him in our family!

Time flies when you’re having fun. We can’t believe Cooper’s been a part of our family for 1 year! He is enjoying the summer now where he can wade into the waterholes when we go for walks in the park and chase the chipmunks and squirrels. He also loves hanging out at the beach. It never fails that he promptly rolls around in the mud or sand after he’s completely wet.

At this point, we think we’ve seen all of his true personality shine through. He really is a big love - with a lot of lazy couch potato and stubbornness mixed in.

We love bringing him with us everywhere we go. He brings a smile to the face of everyone he sees.

We can’t thank you enough for bringing Cooper into our lives!

Hello,

Is it week 8 already?! It seems like Onyx has always been a part of our family!! We bought a gentle leader at the advice of our dog trainer to help him walk on the leash. It seems to be working great. We’ve noticed he does experience some restlessness a few times a week when he won’t relax & sit down throughout the night, but for the most part he sleeps on his dog bed next to our bed. And we’ve noticed he likes something over his head; he puts his head in the closet or under the bed. I’ll try & send a picture next time.

Hi Everyone!

So, here we are…I turned 10 yesterday and this weekend was also the 4th anniversary of my arrival here in my forever home. I’ll start by saying, I’m an old fella who doesn’t like the whole “fast-paced, new-fangled, techie” lifestyle…so I apologize for not writing in more frequently over the past 4 years. I may not move as fast as I used to, but I am still as excited to be in my forever home as I was in 6/2006.

My parents took me 4 years ago, day before my 6th birthday – what a GREAT birthday present…I couldn’t ask for anything more. For anyone who knew me “way back when”, you’ll remember that I was over 110lbs and very slow…I’m now 84lbs and hot to trot. I am kind of stiff in the hips and one of my elbows can be a little sore, all that weight didn’t do me any favors. I still like to play keep away with toys outside and wrestle inside, and when they let me go to daycare I have so much fun, but am always sore for a few days…guess I get carried away and over-do it. I am also the best snuggler ever (at least that’s what my mom says). Dallas and Lucy are great siblings; they are more than a little crazy (Dallas eats anything that isn’t nailed down), but we have a lot of fun. They accepted me the day I came home as if I’d been here forever; I love them.

Last year in April, Dad brought home a ridiculously cute fluffy yellow ball of fur…turns out it was a puppy for me and his name is Winston. Winston is my best friend ever…he is now as big and strong as I am, but he plays with me, and wrestles the way I like to (and is always careful not to hurt me and my sore bones), and sometimes he even snuggles with me to sleep. Winston is a Golden Retriever, so he looks a little funny with that long, hippy hair…but he’s a good puppy…I taught him all the good stuff he knows. (Dallas is trying to teach him all his bad habits…big surprise there!)

Well, I have to go nap, that darn puppy is going to want to play soon and I want to be ready for him. Just wanted to let you all know that I’m having a great time and am well-loved by Mom, Dad, and Grandma, as well as Dallas, Lucy, and my puppy Winston…and everyone else who meets me.

Thank you NEARR for my family; I have a better life than an old man like me could ever dream of.

Zoey is doing awesome. She is the perfect dog for our family. We love her so much! : )

We wanted to let you know that after 6 ½ wonderful years, we have lost our Maggie. She lived to be just shy of 15 ½ years. We took her home in January of 2004 from her foster home in Rye NH . She was a wonderful and funny girl. She gave us lots of laughs over the years. She was tall and lean and very spry for her age. She could still tuck her back legs under all the way even as they got weaker on her. She still wanted to go for walks and play although we had to limit her because she would keep going until she couldn’t walk if we let her. Last year when she was 14, we had our 6 month old granddaughter move in with us. Maggie was the most gentle with her. She would let the baby pet her and even lay down on her to give her hugs! We will miss her, but are very grateful that NEAAR brought her into our lives. Thank You!!!

So, it’s June. We missed Casey’s six year update. We were reminded yesterday, when we found his food bin with his name on it when we cleaned the basement. Casey is a complete love. He wakes up with an agenda as long as his leg, and works on the list all day. You can see it from the pictures - there’s the twinkle of “what’s next” is in his eye. “What’s it going to be, Mom, a swim? Trip to the beach? Run in the woods to the lake? Walk around the block?” He hates the car, but he loves where it takes him, even the vet! Truthfully, I’d like to reincarnate as Casey.

He’s learned a lot over the six years. (And don’t you just want to kiss that mug?) I never have to worry about getting lost on a hard- to-follow trail - Casey should have been a rescue dog. He’s that good with his nose. He will spend hours at the edge of the lake finding waterlogged tennis balls, sticks and the occasional frog. He loves being near us, getting hugged (and taking all the attention for himself). Early on, we have pictures of our two year-old cousin riding him - he loves kids of all sizes. I guess what I’m getting at is LOVE. He does everything with gusto. We just got back from visiting a friend who has two dogs. He lured both dogs outside, then took himself for a tour of the house, bringing out choice morsels: bone, toys, etc. It took a couple of years of hard (loving and gentle and consistent) work, but Casey is a wonderful companion. Eight? For the first time I found him tired and a little beat up (ten mile bushwhack over rough terrain). Sigh. I’d like to grow old with this guy.

So, six years later, I still thank the family who cared enough to give him up.