Over the weekend of 20-21 July, ROSIE was groomed. One of the Phoenix volunteers helped Melissa groom her.

And on 2 August, ROSIE is ADOPTED!!:

Bob & Sharron write: ROSIE is doing quite well; hasn't done any damage in our house or had any accidents indoors. She is very, very shy, and really doesn't show much emotion yet. Her tail is down most of the time; it has come up a couple of times when we had taken her on walks.

We don't put her in her kennel at night and she sleeps in our living room; this morning she actually came up to our bed around 6 a.m., so that was a first. We are going to take her to PetsMart for a little while tomorrow and she how she interacts. Next week we will try the dog park.

Wonderful Barbara Bird of the Transformation Pet Center offered to come in on a Sunday to groom CHARLIE & GRACE. The story and pictures are HERE.

On 31 July, GRACE Spends the Day at Day Care.

Sidney writes: Janet Galante, owner of Sit! Stay! Play! just emailed me GRACE's "First Day at School" picture. ADOPTED!!

Poor GRACE looks pretty stressed out . . . you couldn't pin those ears any farther back if you used Super Glue® . . . but Janet assures me GRACE is having fun with the dogs . . . just didn't like having that scary upright point that scary camera at her. ADOPTED!!

GRACE
ADOPTED!!

This morning I kept GRACE leashed to my waist from the time I got up until I got into the shower and she was doing really well . . . trotting around at my side and allowing me to pat her. We'll see what my saturation socialization theory has done to poor GRACE when I pick her up tonight. ADOPTED!!

On 28 July, Sidney reports: CHARLIE is Adoption Pending

CHARLIE & I will be going to visit with a potential new family on Saturday. There are two female Airedales, one 18 months old and the other one year old. They have a female Collie playmate who comes out once a week, so are still in the "I love to play with everyone" stage. Dee says: "Our dogs are both from hunting lines, so aren't exactly dainty girls - Molly weighs 93 pounds & Bridget 70 pounds. Molly is rather laid back, so probably wouldn't be pushy toward a male who wasn't as large. We live on 4.5 fenced acres out in the country and so have plenty of room to dig and roam!"

If CHARLIE & the girls get along okay to begin with, they will foster CHARLIE for three weeks to make sure. Because he will be frightened in his new environment, his true personality won't emerge for a while and we won't really know if there might be a clash since he is so clueless about dog manners.

Molly, Tom & Dee

On 2 August, CHARLIE joins a new family; Sidney writes:

CHARLIE & I drove two hours south of Tucson - and met with Tom & Dee and Airedales Molly & Bridget. Molly, Bridget & CHARLIE got along great and Molly & Bridget immediately took CHARLIE off to show him their five-acre playground. CHARLIE wasn't as sure that he liked Tom & Dee, but wasn't running from them.

Bridget was a private rescue and was very shy when she arrived, so Tom & Dee are familiar with what it takes to socialize a shy dog. Bridget belonged to an elderly couple with a very small yard who soon discovered that an Airedale puppy was too much for them. Tom & Dee's obedience instructor negotiated the change of ownership. Both girls are large and in full curly coats. CHARLIE will be a match for them when he is at full weight and I bet he will be allowed to grow back his curly coat.

I was able to get a picture of Tom, Dee & Molly; Bridget and CHARLIE were off exploring.

CHARLIE will stay with them for three weeks on a foster basis (unless something goes wrong in the meantime). I want to make sure that once he settles in, there won&t be any dominance problems among the dogs.

CHARLIE was so needy when he arrived, he has taken a larger chunk than usual of my heart and I am kind of depressed this afternoon. But, if things work out as well as I expect, I will be happy. ADOPTED!!

More updates:

LESLIE returned to her foster family on 27 July.

GRACE is meeting a potential family on 3 August. Once she is placed, Sidney will bring BLACKIE & NINA over from the kennel. BLACKIE has a family interested in him. NINA is a dog you need to meet in person to truly appreciate. ADOPTED!!