I just got back from the shelter a moment ago and I have not stopped crying since i got in my car and left
Today I took Norris up to the shelter to be placed up for adoption. My job as his foster mommy is now done and it's time for my little angel to find a wonderful new forever home. My bosses and I took his pictures and they are writing a wonderful story to put on the home page of our website (as soon as i see it's posted, i'll post the link here.) Tomorrow morning at 9:00-9:15am ish he is going to air as our "Dog of the Week" on our local radio station.
(i'll post a link of that also if it's available.) I am really happy that this wonderful little guy is now able to find his forever home. (i am just really sad that i have to let him go!
i'm really going to miss him). Before i took him up there, i wrote a little letter to go with his paperwork for whomever adopts him. I also took up his favorite stuffie, his green giraffe for him. He is being spoiled rotten by my coworkers right now up there. They are going to bathe him today and all that jazz so he smells great for tomorrow. He is also in the big "showcase" cage in the front of our shelter where everyone who walks through the door can see him. I will get to have the final say on who adopts him, so that makes me feel better. I have no doubt he will find a great home- there are soo many wonderful people out there- i'm sure one of them would love to open up their home to this amazing little guy...that makes me feel a bit better.
Please keep your fingers crossed that my sweet Norris finds a wonderful forever home tomorrow that will love him and treat him well! It's really sad seeing him go- but i know he will find a great family.
here's the letter i wrote for him. what do you think? (i go by my first name at work)
" Hi, my name is Lydia,
I would like to take a moment to tell you about sweet Norris. I have had the pleasure of being his foster mom for several months now during his recovery. You could not ask for a better dog- he is a real sweetheart and is one of the best dogs I have ever been around. Each day with this amazing little guy is a blessing!
\tThis little guy had quite a rough past, but with a lot of work now- he has come such a long way since the amputation of his leg! He never really notices that he’s missing that leg….except when he wants to scratch his ear! (It’s quite cute!) The vet said that the missing fur from the amputation site should finish growing back by fall time. It has already started to grow back in certain spots. He doesn’t even seem to realize that he has only three legs instead of four. He runs, walks, jumps, and plays just like a normal dog. The vets have all said he has made an amazing recovery since his surgery as well! He has been in my home around two other large dogs, 4 cats and also has been around the children in my extended family. He is excellent with all of them!
\tHe loves to play with other dogs and would do best in a home that has other dogs or even tolerant kitties for him to play with. He also loves children and is very gentle around them. He is crate trained, house broken, knows some commands (sit, stay, shake, gentle (when receiving a treat- we make him earn his treats by practicing his commands) play dead – but you have to show him this one.) We have trained him according to the book, “The Loved Dog”…it is an excellent training tool and he has been very successful using those techniques. (It is available at most book stores).
\tNorris is very playful and loves to be wherever you are! He also knows his name. He does not like to be left alone or by himself (this is why it’d be best if he had another dog in the same home with him, but he’d also do well with a family that is home a lot). His favorite game is “tug of war” he enjoys playing that with our Australian Shepherd. They will drag each other all around the house playing for hours on end! It is very sweet! He also loves Nyla bones, rope toys, stuffed animals (safe ones for dogs), rawhides, and his favorite toy- his giraffe! (I have included it with his files so that he can take it to his new home.)
\tHe has been eating Pedigree dry dog food (a donation we got into our shelter-it has glucosamine in it which is good for strengthening his body). I would however recommend an even more premium dog food. The best food for him would be either a raw or home cooked diet- but a good premium dog food be it dry or wet is always great too! He does need the added glucosamine in his diet though whether it comes from a supplement or it’s in his food so that it helps to strengthen the remaining joints in his body.
\t
\tNorris is also very good about being handled. He will let you brush his teeth (very important for preventing periodontal disease as dogs age!), brush his fur, bathe him, clean his ears, trim his nails, you name it! He is fully potty trained and knows to go stand by the door when he needs to go outside. (We have him mostly trained to ring a strand of bells attached to our door when he needs to go outside and potty- that way there is no guess work).
\tNorris is a very obedient dog, but occasionally will try to jump up and chew on your hand. When he does this if you take a newspaper and hit the side of your leg with it (not him) the noise distracts him and will make him stop, then he is easy to redirect. (A light mist from a spray bottle on his bottom works as well)
\tNorris is a very family oriented dog and likes to be right where his family is. I believe that he is a German shepherd / Jindo mix and his personality seems to fit that combination. If you wouldn’t mind him hopping into bed with you at night or on your couch to watch TV, I recommend purchasing some “doggie steps” at your local pet store so that it’s easier for him to climb on and off furniture if you plan to allow him up there. He has acclimated exceptionally well to life without an extra leg, but he does occasionally have some issues with walking on different surfaces. In our home, he has learned to walk on carpet, and wooden floors – but sometimes he will slip on the wooden floors a bit. You could put a runner down on any slippery surfaces in your home so that he will have better traction to walk on them and will not hurt himself if he slips and falls. He has not been up and down a staircase since his surgery as we only have a single story house- but I have no doubt that with a little work, he will learn to walk up and down those with ease.
\tNorris does have some requirements as a three legged dog that need to be observed. He needs to be taken for daily walks to help him remain fit and also to strengthen his other legs and back as he now has added weight on them without that other leg there. He also must never be allowed to become overweight as the added weight to his joints can lead to pain and arthritis later on since he already has added weight on the remaining three legs. Norris also needs to be an indoors only dog as he tends to overheat quickly and not do well in very warm weather. I also recommend adding an orthopedic doggie bed to his crate if you crate him so that it is easier on his body.
\tI hope you enjoy this beautiful little guy as much as our family has. He is the best dog that anyone could hope for. I have no doubt that he will do excellent in his new home and be a very loving pet. I know as his foster mom, I will miss him dearly, but I could not be more happy to see him find a great new forever home though where he will be loved and cared for!
Enjoy your wonderful new angel!
Lydia
Please keep your fingers crossed that my sweet Norris finds a wonderful forever home tomorrow that will love him and treat him well! It's really sad seeing him go- but i know he will find a great family.
here's the letter i wrote for him. what do you think? (i go by my first name at work)
" Hi, my name is Lydia,
I would like to take a moment to tell you about sweet Norris. I have had the pleasure of being his foster mom for several months now during his recovery. You could not ask for a better dog- he is a real sweetheart and is one of the best dogs I have ever been around. Each day with this amazing little guy is a blessing!
\tThis little guy had quite a rough past, but with a lot of work now- he has come such a long way since the amputation of his leg! He never really notices that he’s missing that leg….except when he wants to scratch his ear! (It’s quite cute!) The vet said that the missing fur from the amputation site should finish growing back by fall time. It has already started to grow back in certain spots. He doesn’t even seem to realize that he has only three legs instead of four. He runs, walks, jumps, and plays just like a normal dog. The vets have all said he has made an amazing recovery since his surgery as well! He has been in my home around two other large dogs, 4 cats and also has been around the children in my extended family. He is excellent with all of them!
\tHe loves to play with other dogs and would do best in a home that has other dogs or even tolerant kitties for him to play with. He also loves children and is very gentle around them. He is crate trained, house broken, knows some commands (sit, stay, shake, gentle (when receiving a treat- we make him earn his treats by practicing his commands) play dead – but you have to show him this one.) We have trained him according to the book, “The Loved Dog”…it is an excellent training tool and he has been very successful using those techniques. (It is available at most book stores).
\tNorris is very playful and loves to be wherever you are! He also knows his name. He does not like to be left alone or by himself (this is why it’d be best if he had another dog in the same home with him, but he’d also do well with a family that is home a lot). His favorite game is “tug of war” he enjoys playing that with our Australian Shepherd. They will drag each other all around the house playing for hours on end! It is very sweet! He also loves Nyla bones, rope toys, stuffed animals (safe ones for dogs), rawhides, and his favorite toy- his giraffe! (I have included it with his files so that he can take it to his new home.)
\tHe has been eating Pedigree dry dog food (a donation we got into our shelter-it has glucosamine in it which is good for strengthening his body). I would however recommend an even more premium dog food. The best food for him would be either a raw or home cooked diet- but a good premium dog food be it dry or wet is always great too! He does need the added glucosamine in his diet though whether it comes from a supplement or it’s in his food so that it helps to strengthen the remaining joints in his body.
\t
\tNorris is also very good about being handled. He will let you brush his teeth (very important for preventing periodontal disease as dogs age!), brush his fur, bathe him, clean his ears, trim his nails, you name it! He is fully potty trained and knows to go stand by the door when he needs to go outside. (We have him mostly trained to ring a strand of bells attached to our door when he needs to go outside and potty- that way there is no guess work).
\tNorris is a very obedient dog, but occasionally will try to jump up and chew on your hand. When he does this if you take a newspaper and hit the side of your leg with it (not him) the noise distracts him and will make him stop, then he is easy to redirect. (A light mist from a spray bottle on his bottom works as well)
\tNorris is a very family oriented dog and likes to be right where his family is. I believe that he is a German shepherd / Jindo mix and his personality seems to fit that combination. If you wouldn’t mind him hopping into bed with you at night or on your couch to watch TV, I recommend purchasing some “doggie steps” at your local pet store so that it’s easier for him to climb on and off furniture if you plan to allow him up there. He has acclimated exceptionally well to life without an extra leg, but he does occasionally have some issues with walking on different surfaces. In our home, he has learned to walk on carpet, and wooden floors – but sometimes he will slip on the wooden floors a bit. You could put a runner down on any slippery surfaces in your home so that he will have better traction to walk on them and will not hurt himself if he slips and falls. He has not been up and down a staircase since his surgery as we only have a single story house- but I have no doubt that with a little work, he will learn to walk up and down those with ease.
\tNorris does have some requirements as a three legged dog that need to be observed. He needs to be taken for daily walks to help him remain fit and also to strengthen his other legs and back as he now has added weight on them without that other leg there. He also must never be allowed to become overweight as the added weight to his joints can lead to pain and arthritis later on since he already has added weight on the remaining three legs. Norris also needs to be an indoors only dog as he tends to overheat quickly and not do well in very warm weather. I also recommend adding an orthopedic doggie bed to his crate if you crate him so that it is easier on his body.
\tI hope you enjoy this beautiful little guy as much as our family has. He is the best dog that anyone could hope for. I have no doubt that he will do excellent in his new home and be a very loving pet. I know as his foster mom, I will miss him dearly, but I could not be more happy to see him find a great new forever home though where he will be loved and cared for!
Enjoy your wonderful new angel!
Lydia