Tag Archives: animal shelter

Foster Day 0: Spencer’s Miracle

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Spencer who is now Benji is now Spenji to me!! Spenji came in as a stray with another dog and lived there until August 18th the day I began fostering him. He was declining in the shelter and becoming unadobtable. I cannot even begin to tell you how bonded the two of us became and I was dying inside because I knew in my heart this dog was special and deserved a chance to grow and find his forever home. My kids had just bought a house and were getting ready to move out the weekend of the 18th. A window of opportunity opened for me give this boy a chance to show how great he was. Although my husband was not thrilled with me fostering, he supported me, knowing how important Spenji was to me.

You can read all about our time together in my previous blogs. I had been working with a potential adopter who was so amazing and willing to give Spenji all the time he needed to get to know him. We were setting up a time for our next meeting when I got a call that shook me to the core. I should have been thrilled but I was terrified. Spenji’s former owner had found him and was there to reclaim him. Normally I would be jumping up and down but I didn’t know this person who was going to be taking my baby off my hands. The information about how he found Spenji and anything about the case was confidential so they couldn’t really even tell me about his dad and the circimstances that led him to the shelter and his being found. I cried all night and all day the next day, so much so I gave myself a throbbing headache. I couldn’t even talk about it so I had to hang up with my hubby and text him instead.

I had spent some much time and hard work working with Spenji’s shy and fearfulness and loving his with all my heart. Was my baby going to be ok? I had to put my trust in the shelter and believe that they wouldn’t allow him to go back into a bad situation. I can tell you now, that that the moment Spenji saw his daddy walk through the door, he was home….his forever home!!! He was so excited he peed on the sidewalk and from that point on never left his daddy’s side. All the weight I was carrying for him just fell off and was replaced with joy and happiness. My baby was so happy!!! The video speaks volumes. I have watched it so much that my husband says, “You’re watching it again?” I can’t help myself. It was a beautiful moment that I will never forget.



So now what do I do with my heart? I’m so happy for him but darn if he didn’t take a piece of my heart with him. I couldn’t even go down to the basement for hours after because I knew I would see his empty crate, bowl and food dish sitting there without him. How can one be so happy yet so sad at the same time? Last night I felt so lost. He wasn’t playing ball upstairs or chewing on his enrichment. I felt like I needed to be taking him outside for his last pee for the night and around 9 I was ready to take him down to bed but arrgggg he wasn’t there. Today I feel so lost. My schedule is all messed up. I keep feeling like there is something I need to do. I can’t imagine how foster peeps deal with this, who have had their foster’s a lot longer then I did.

Fostering is hard work especially when you have other dogs. Because Spenji had snapped at other dogs, we kept ours apart from him except when walking. He had shown great progress walking with my Jewels and we were working on integrating them when the time was right. I had to have a schedule for Spenji, my dogs and my grandkids. It was hard but we were in a routine. Now I have this extra time on my hands so I rearranged my kitchen. If you ask me would I do it all over again, I would say in a heartbeat. However, the next time I foster will be after my girls have passed on. They are 7 and 10. When they do pass on, my dream is to pour myself into fostering seniors and endangered dogs.

So happy life my sweet baby boy. I will never forget you! Be the best boy I know you can be. I love you sooooooooooooooooooo much!!

Saying good-bye and hello again. Look at the way he looks at his daddy. So precious!!!
Together again at last!

Foster Day Four, Five and 6: What I’ve Learned About Spencer

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He does not demand much. Give him some love, play time and food and he’s in heaven

He is not reactive to my neighbors dogs who constantly tries to engage him. The first day he ran towards him but the yard leash didn’t reach so he went the other way and totally ignores him now. My two boxers are usually watching him from behind the glass doors and there has been no reactivity there. He did growl at them when he was looking out the window of his doggie den and my Jewels went up to the window. I think she startled him. It was a short growl and he just stared at her after that. He didn’t scratch at the window or try to get out.

He enjoys cuddles and kisses. He plays hard but will stop every few minutes to come and put his paws in my lap and turn his body sideways for a hug and to give kisses. I call it a Spencer hug. Forget taking naps cause he will bring his ball over to you to play or jump on the couch with you and drop the ball on your hip so it will roll to the floor and he can go chasing after it. Oh and if he gets tired of ball then it kisses and smooches time.

He’s possessive with his toys. We have been working on that. He is learning that if he wants me to throw his toy, he has to drop it next to me and let me pick it up or we don’t play. Yesterday he gave me his toy four times. Today he’s given his ball to me all day so far. I tell him thank you and have him sit then say ready, I throw and say get it!! We’re making progress. I don’t play tug very often because he doesn’t like to lose. I limit it to once a day and yesterday I won!!! The training staff has been working with him and are going to give me more tips to keep reinforcing what they have done. He will play with the tug rope by himself and keeps himself entertained. He does like to be close to his human while he plays. And he loves to roll on his back and play and get tummy rubs.

He does not cry, whine or bark when left alone or put in his crate. In fact sometimes I let him run free in the doggie den and will find him in his crate sleeping.

He does great with routine. I try to balance my time with my dogs and him and my grand-kids and he has been so great with our love times, whether in my house or out in his doggie den. Every morning I get him up and let him have some outside time to do his business and if my grand-kids aren’t here, he comes inside for a little bit. If kids are there he goes back to doggie den and he has free run of the den. I have a camera inside and so far he’s had no accidents or destroyed anything in the den. He did have an accident in the house though yesterday. But when I told him it was bad, I could see he understood.

He hasn’t jumped on the furniture in my house but in the doggie den he will jump on couch when I’m sitting on it. Most of the time he’s just rolling on my black carpet or sleeping in his crate. He is crate trained and that is where he sleeps at night.

He loves to play in the sprinklers. He will try to pull it out of the ground tho and that’s when I usually end water play.

He loves to go on walks and is muzzled trained because of his shyness. He has given me no trouble putting muzzle on because he knows he’s gonna get a walk but you can tell he’s happy when I take it off. He saw my neighbors across the street and tried to go over but I kept a distance between us as he didn’t know them. He didn’t seem aggressive at all. He was really good on his leash while I talked to them about him. He’s always curious.

He has warmed up to my family quickly. He follows my husband around the house now and gets excited when he walks through the door. He sometimes shies away but then comes right back. He has greeted my whole family at the door when they come in. He mostly sniffs them and walks away unless they offer him treats. After treats he will let himself be petted. He actually jumped up to be pet by my son.

And last but certainly not lease…he chases the vacuum cleaner but will back away when I say ut uh!

,Spencer is 2 years old and has been at the Shelter since June 2020. He came in as a stray. He needs to have multiple meet and greets with potential adopters, in a home with no children and if adopters have other dogs there must be a meet and greet between dogs. He is well worth the investment. You can read more of his details and see his aazing video at https://kcpetproject.org/animal-details/?aid=44882776&cid=11&tid=Dog#.Xz1oGWyS