Hi, everyone!

Foster Mom tells me it has been a very long time since my last update and I need to get some info out there! Let's just say I have been busy entertaining this summer.

For April and May when Foster Mom was working at home on Fridays, my friends CJ and Lani would come and hang out with us all day. Those two are so much fun! Lani and I play hard and run and have a blast.

Apparently, summertime is a time for marshmallows, either cooked or not. Here is my first experience with one.

I guess I do play with my food at first. After I got the hang of it, I loved them and wolfed them down. And boy, are they tasty when they are cooked in the fire pit!

The three of us took a little road trip around Memorial Day to play with some new friends. It was the first time I was there and I did really well! It helps to have so many dogs around and not people.

Jan was so nice to me, so I was relaxed. She didn't focus on me, so that really helped, plus all of the dogs like to follow her, so she must be a good person. She has a new foster Cora 19-015 who is even more shy than me. 

I hope I get to visit them again soon. Maybe I can get Cora to play next time.

Since the spring had some cooler days, my sisters and I get all revved up to chase in the backyard. Here is some footage to show my playfulness.

And one to show my stalking abilities.

We also got to hang out with Doodle puppy Ella 19-125A. She was a cutie and has already found her new home.  

In early June, we had a houseful as some friends and former fosters came to stay with us. It was a crazy week with all the activity. There was no shortage of someone to play with.

Here, Winston and I try to get a play session going over a ball, when Baylee sneaks in for the steal.

Here is the Doodle crew for the week! That's Myrtle (black Doodle far left) and former foster Winston (far right). We have fun each time we see each other.

Most of the crew loved the kiddle pool. I still do not want anything to do with it, no matter how hot I am. Foster Mom will put my feet in there, and yes, it does feel good, but I won't go in by myself. Foster Mom can't figure out why. Oh well, still plenty of summer left to figure it out.

Then at end of June, yet another playdate at Mama Nicole and Paddy's house. Krae's foster dad Kelly came with Bella (gorgeous cream retriever) and new foster girl Sasha 19-113A.

Sasha was super shy (I get it) and was not ready to play with us. Hopefully that will change soon. Please check out Sasha's page too!

I did do some barking at Kelly even though I have met him a few times before. But that quickly changed when the watermelon came out!

It just takes me a while to feel comfortable with new people. I need repeated meetings with them before I feel comfortable, and I have to meet them where I am happy, like Nicole's house or at home.

I am working really hard on my stranger-danger issues, and the doctor is helping me find the right combinations of medications too. They don't know if I will ever be that super happy girl to meet people, but trust me, at home, I am a normal, playful girl. 

I went to my first meet-and-greet in many, many months yesterday. Foster Mom was really surprised that I followed Kraelyn right in the door. I met some of the other dogs there and then notice there were people there.

Well, I did get shy again and wanted to stay by Foster Mom. Then I noticed Nicole's mom there and i was so happy to see her I wagged my tail! Foster Mom was happy to see that.

I pretty much just laid on the floor, but did accept some chicken from various people's hands. But only if they were sitting on the floor or crouched down.

I really don't like it when strangers are staring me in the eyes or reaching for me if they don't have food. Part of that is also the noise level and crowded conditions too.

But I handled it really well and Foster Mom could tell I was a bit more relaxed than before. Baby Steps.

Nic's mom did take us for a lap around the store. But I wouldn't go unless Krae led the way. She is so confident and I trust her. That's why I really need a larger (at least 50 pound), younger, confident dog in my forever home. I learn so much from them and need that support.

The long, long weekend of the 4th of July was a little difficult with the loud booms. I didn't like going outside when those were going on, so our last call potty breaks were around 1 am.

There are people in my neigborhood that shoot them off every night until the end of the month. That is tough on me. But we just hang out in the house downstairs with the TV on and that helps.

I don't pace or pant or try to hide; I just alert on every boom and stay close to my foster sisters and Foster Mom.

Well, that's about it for what has been going on in my busy social life lately. The plan now is to start getting me back out in more social situations away from home to continue to build confidence.

Thanks for reading.

Jessa

Hi, everyone!

Miss Jessa here. I know it has been a long time since my last update. I was marked Unavailable as my foster families were helping me work through my stranger-danger issues.

I have had three meetings with a doctor lady that helps pups like me with these issues. I am making slow progress with strangers—but it is there! Recently changed to a new medication about 10 days ago to see if that helps at all.  

I have been able to visit my friend Anya in her new home and am feeling pretty comfortable there since the home and two people there are familiar. I took treats from Anya's mom right away, so that was very good progress. 

Saturday, I went to my foster sister's 11th birthday party with her littermates and lots of former fosters and friends. I went to that party last year and had a blast.

This year, I was a bit shy and kept close to Foster Mom or my Uncle Chip or my friend Kelly. Foster Mom said I was doing pretty well because I even took some treats from Kelly. In the past in other situations, I would not take treats. So that is a little progress. 

The doctor says it is too early to determine if larger events would always be this way for me, but I guess it is a possibility. I have not been going to meet-and-greets for a long while now, as the doctor says that is too overwhelming for me with all the strangers, loud noises, and people staring and reaching for me.

At the party, people were not focused on me, so that helped. It was fun to watch all the dogs running and playing, too.

As always, I am super happy in my home environments and am a typical youngster. I continue to tease my foster sisters and steal their toys at every chance I get. I am very treat-motivated, so that is helping me with my exercises from the doctor.

After the party, my friends CJ and Lani came home with us for a sleepover. I just have a blast with them. We wear each other out. Even though it was really cold and icy out, we were able to get in some good wrestling.

I just love snuggling on the big bed with everyone, too.    

Well, other that hunkering down during the polar-vortex super-cold weather with short trips outside so the squirrels are kept at bay, life is pretty much the same. I love sitting by the doors and windows watching the world outside, especially if there are things happening out there. I am so hoping for some real snow and a warm-up soon so we can run in some big fluffy white stuff!

Thanks for following my story.

All my best,
Jessa

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From Foster Mom:

Jessa is making small steps forward as we work to find the right combination of meds to help her in social situations. We want to reiterate that in the environments where she is familiar and comfortable, she is a normal, happy young dog.

The right home for her will be one with a young, playful (non-dominant) dog about her size (45 pounds or larger); no young children; a quieter atmosphere without a lot of commotion or people (strangers) coming and going.

She will need someone patient and committed to helping her develop confidence and trust outside of the home. Her forever family must be willing to follow her treatment plan from the behaviorist.  

Jessa is an incredibly sweet and loving dog once she builds trust with the people in her life. Having another dog that consistently shows affection towards his/her humans will help Jessa build that trust very quickly, as she takes her direction from other dogs.

Hi everyone,

I can't believe it is August 4th already! The summer is just flying by.

Nothing much has changed in my schedule. Still hanging out and attending daycare with Anya and playdates with my foster sisters and RAGOM friends. I still have plenty of stamina for running, but the heat is cutting those shorter in order to take a break.

A couple of weeks ago, foster mom's last foster and her sister came to hang out and have a sleepover again. Those two Doodles are a hoot. We have a good time with them. Lani and I are like two peas in a pod and play constantly. I even got to go to their house for a playdate, too. That was a new situation for me and I did really well.

I am still a little thief and steal toys. What can I say? I love to have fun.

We are still working on my fear of strangers. I have met a lot of people in the past few weeks. I am doing less barking at them, almost none, and quicker to come closer for treats.

I am doing pretty well with thunderstorms. The low rumbling stuff in the distance doesn't bother me. However, I did get startled by a big crack of thunder and lightening that sent me and my foster sister Lilly running into the house. 

I am still looking for my forever home. I need a larger dog (both in size and stature, at least 50 pounds, and close to my height or bigger) as I am a very physical player. And my new sibling needs to be pretty confident, as I will look to him or her for direction on how to act in various situations.

Have a great week!
Jessa

Hi, everyone!

Just little ol' me sending in an update. I continue to be a busy, busy girl. I now go to doggie daycare twice a week so I can run and play and make new friends. Between that and playing with my foster sisters and Sage next door and going to playdates, my social calendar stays full.

I have learned very valuable skills in foster care, such as eating ice cream or yogurt from a spoon. See how patient I am to wait for my turn in this video.

I have started to be a bit weary of strangers and have started barking at them outside. Foster Mom says it could be one of those fear stages we go through between 6 months old and 14-16 months.

Even though I have an adult body, I still have a puppy brain. So, Foster Mom has started to work on that with me. 

Last Sunday, Anya 18-044A and I went to another home to meet some cats. I just sniffed at them, and Anya ignored them.

I was a little tentative being in a new house even though the people were really nice to me. I didn't really want them to pet me, and they were cool with that. They totally understood.

Then, we went outside to play with their RAGOM dog Happy Jack. He was a goofball for sure. I just sniffed out the whole yard until it was time to go.

On Friday night, some people came over with their big dog for a visit. I was unsure of them, so I barked and stayed away from them. However, I was fine running and playing with their dog. We have many good games of chase.

After an hour, Foster Mom did put a leash on me so each of the two people could walk me around the yard. I was really unsure of what they were doing, so did some pulling to get away.

However, we kept doing laps in the yard, and I could see Foster Mom at all times, so I started to relax a bit and follow them.

I was really good at watching their faces for signals. They didn't look at me, but just kept me moving. Guess there was nothing for me to be afraid of! After they left, I went back in the house and I was back to my normal goofy self.

On Saturday afternoon, Foster Mom said, "Let's go to Sweet Mama Nicole's house for playtime with Paddington and Anya!" I love going there; it's one of my happy places.

Paddy and I did lots of running and chasing, and I did more than my fair share of toy stealing. It was warm, so the pools were out. I prefer to be a poolside girl rather than get in. My foster sisters are the opposite.

Foster Mom lifted my feet into the pool and splashed some water on my tummy to cool me down. I admit, it did feel good, but I had no interest in laying down. Maybe someday.

See how much I enjoyed the host's complementary massages in this video.

A nice gal from next door came over to see all of us, and I did start barking again and kept my distance. I was too unsure to take any treats from her. Foster Mom again put me on a leash and let the gal walk laps in the yard.

I did much better than Friday night. After walking, I sat with the group and relaxed and enjoyed some treats. Foster Mom was very happy with my improvement.

I guess I surprised myself as this gal was really, really nice, and I didn't need to be afraid of her, either. Everyone else was right up in her face!

After a bit of time, it was time for fetch again, so we resumed our playtime. The gal even threw the toys for us.

Foster Mom was happy that I warmed up to a new person a bit faster than Friday night. It helps when I see all of the other dogs interacting with these strangers.

Sunday brought yet another stranger! I guess Foster Mom is serious about helping me succeed through this stage!

This time, the strategy was a bit different. Instead of people coming into my happy space outside like the last two times, they were already out there before I came out.

There was a RAGOM girl named Annie 17-010 standing in the yard with my foster sisters. Apparently, they know each other. I flew out the door to say a happy Hello. Annie politely said hello, but there was no exuberance there. I guess she is not a player.

And then, it happened. Yes, you guessed it. There was a person right there, sitting in a chair on the patio! Can you believe it? I bet you can guess what I did. Yup, I barked at her! I said, "Hey, who are you and what are you doing here?!"

She just ignored me and kept talking to Foster Mom. Well, I thought that was kinda rude. So, I decided to ignore her, too, and picked up a toy.

That is until everybody rushed to Foster Mom and sat in front of her. That means something good was happening.

Yup, freshly cooked warm chicken was being distributed. Now I had a dilemma. This new person was sitting right next to Foster Mom. How was I supposed to get my fair share of chicken?

I looked at the person and back at Foster Mom. Back to the person. Back to Foster Mom.

I decided this person must be somewhat OK, so I came in for some chicken -- albeit on the opposite site of said person.

Each time I got my piece from Foster Mom, I went back to the yard, but not as far, and Foster Mom would call me back for another piece.

After a minute of back and forth getting my share, Foster Mom gave the bowl to this person. All of the other dogs shifted to this person and got even more food.

Dilemma number 2: I was still hungry and now had to accept food from someone else. So, I slowly came in and gently took a piece and went back to the yard.

It actually wasn't too bad! So, I did it again. And again. And again. Probably 10 times I went back when it was my turn.

By the 5th or 6th time, I was trotting back in when she called my name and said, "Treat."  And I was lingering longer.

Then, she started giving me two turns in a row of chicken. I figured, heck, why not just stay here and not waste all that energy going back to the yard. So, I did.

Foster Mom was grinning ear to ear and was so happy with my progress that day. I even got to lick the bowl when we were done.

After the chicken was gone, it was time for more fetch. And guess what? I now liked the person enough to play tug-o-war with the toy! And it only took about 20 minutes to go from barking to tug-o-war.

I know that was a lot of detail, but Foster Mom said I should tell you about this new fear-of-stranger thing for me and how I am quickly learning that people are OK and generally friendly.

Both of my foster homes are committed to helping me through this adolescent period and building my confidence with strangers by having a lot of positive experiences. It probably won't go away overnight, but consistently working on it will be the key.

I sure hope this means there will be a lot of chicken involved! (Note: I am totally fine with people I know.)

A few pictures of me and new friend Annie.

On other news, I am a rock star at barking at Foster Mom to go outside now. I am holding it longer, too, and have not had an accident for a while.

I started a trial course of meds for overactive bladder (very low dose) to see if that would help. Foster Mom is not restricting my water at bedtime, either. I am keeping my kennel dry, so we are all happy about that.  

That's all for now. Have a great week! 

Jessa

Hi, everyone!

Jessa reporting in. I must say I am a busy, busy girl splitting my time in two foster homes. I love going for car rides and having so many foster siblings and friends. As you can see from all of my pictures in the posts, I am quite a social girl and love to play with other dogs. All of this socialization I am getting in my first year of life is a BIG PLUS! I just love having other dogs to play with and I haven't met anyone that I don't like!

I am still a big tease when I am with my Doodle foster sisters. I constantly take the toys away to run around. I don't keep them long as I then have to go steal another toy from someone else. The whole point of the game is the steal. Ha! Sometimes I push the boundaries and try to take an especially favorite toy, and my foster sisters let me know, loudly. I just kinda laugh and persist and usually win. Usually.

Going to meet-and-greets is another favorite thing to do to get out of the house. Initially, I love meeting new RAGOM dogs and seeing friends like my transport buddy, Scott. I really like this guy!

Apparently, there is a new breed of Doodle out there, the BunnyDoodle. It only appears one day each year. Somehow we all had to take a turn being an impersonator. As you can see, I was not all that impressed with the non-functioning antenna.  

When the other dogs had their turns, I quickly and swiftly removed the ears from their heads. Yeah, yeah, back to stealing!

Well, we got about 8 inches of snow today for April 3rd, or as some people are calling it January 75th. I hope you got out to enjoy it! Someday, spring will arrive!

That's it for now.

Jessa

Hi, everyone!

Sorry for such a long delay in an update. Life has been pretty busy over the holidays and the month of January.

I am getting the chance to get out and about and I just love it!  I go to meet-and-greets and meet a lot of fun people and other dogs.  I attend playdates with my friends to burn off extra energy when the weather is not too cold.

Here is me at a playdate at Nicole's. I am running with CJ and Lani. Geez, do we like to run fast!

We all behave really well as a pack, too. 

For Christmas week, CJ and Lani got to sleep over with us, and we had a blast. Lani and I would play non-stop, so by the end of the day, we were good and tired. We love the big bed!

We're gonna need a bigger couch!

After all of the fun of Christmas time, I started to spend some time with my friend Bella for sleepovers. I also get to spend one day a week at daycare so I am getting tons of socialization.

And last weekend, it was my foster sister's 10th birthday with her littermates, so we had a big party of 26 dogs.  Lots of us are Doodles, as many former fosters come to play, too.  

Here are a couple of pics of some of the group lining up for treats. Can you pick me out of the mix?

Well, after those pictures, you probably think all I do it PLAY!  I wish that were true, but alas, we do have down time when Foster Mom is at work. That is when I do my growing. I have gotten a bit taller, but not really putting on much weight. I am 50 pounds now, but still a skinny girl and enjoying my slim build.

Well, that's about it for me for now. I hope you are enjoying all of the snow. I sure do. I love to EAT snowballs and ice balls and hop and jump in the snow like a deer. Foster Mom just laughs at me.

Jessa

Hello, everyone!

It's me, Jessa, just checking with you to let you know how life in foster care is going. I am glad to report that I am having a marvelous time!

My favorite thing to do is go to Mama Nicole's house for playdates. I have so much fun there running and playing with everyone. Look at the pure happiness on my face! And my feet are not even touching the ground.

We just run and run and play with toys. This is such a great life! Paddington is such a sweet boy and about two years old. We became instant friends.

I have turned into quite the goofball. I have no shame is trying to steal anyone's toy. I just want what they have. As soon as I get it, I play with it for a minute, then find another toy to steal. Yes, that makes me happy.

The playdates have also taught me how to wait my turn for treats. Sometimes I line-jump to try to get a second treat. That's Nicole's mom doling them out.

All those memories of playing will have to keep me happy for the next week or so. I had my spay surgery on Wednesday, November 15, so I won't have any puppies. I was a bit groggy that night, but really no pain. The next morning, I was ready to play, but Foster Mom says none of that for a while until I heal up. I am not very fond on having to be on a leash outside. I keep trying to chase after my foster sisters, but that darn leash is so short. Oh well, I will just have to be a snuggler with Foster Mom on the couch then. 

I hope you are having a great week and enjoy the weekend!

Jessa